Corps member rescues school abandoned by corpers

Category: Education Published on Thursday, 07 February 2013 05:00

Government Secondary School (GSS), Sabon Gaya, a community in Chikun Local Government Area of Kaduna State, abandoned by corps members for the past seven years due to lack of accommodation, has had its fortunes changed for the better.

A corps member, Monica Onuoha, who was posted to the school has built an apartment to serve as accommodation for corps members. Onuoha took up the challenge after she was offered a mud house to live in when she reported for service and decided she would not abandon the students.

Her effort materialised into an eight-room apartment which can accommodate 16 corps members.

Speaking to Daily Trust during the commissioning of the project, Onuoha, a graduate of Madonna University and an indigene of Abia State said she was inspired to undertake the project because she felt there was a need for corps members in the school.

“My motivation came from the thought I had that corps members need to be in this school. There are so many classes in need of teachers but because of lack of accommodation, the teachers don’t come and the students are left on their own.

“I thought of a way to substitute the teacher and that was when the idea to build a corper’s lodge came to me. It was not easy. I spent almost N6 million on this project through funds I sourced from the District Head of Sabon Gaya who gave me the names of sons and daughters both within and outside the local government.

 “I also sought for donations from companies, civil servants, politicians and individuals which I put together and came up with this building. I am very proud of this community because they contributed immensely to its success. This community is going to produce graduates because every year from now till who knows when, this house is going to accommodate corps members.”

She urged other corps members to humble themselves and embark on humanitarian activities in their communities which would change lives.

Principal of the school, Mr. Cletus Mugu, said since he resumed in 2007, the school had not received corps members due to accommodation problem.

“When the NYSC sent three corpers from batch ‘A’, I was confused on what to do because I knew there was no accommodation for them, so we had to rent a place for them, bought mattresses and a generator, I did not know then that that singular act will generate a project like this.

 When she came and told me of her plan, I encouraged her to finish what she started despite all the challenges that she might encounter and it is the completion that we are witnessing today,” he stated.

 He said the major problem in the school was lack of manpower for its 2,625 students.

Mr. Cletus Mugu said already, the school had received eight corps members.  

The Chairman of Chikun Local Government Council Waziri Usman promised to build a fence around the lodge to further protect the corps members.

 Director General NYSC, Brig-Gen Nnamdi Okorie-Affia who was represented by the Kaduna State Coordinator, Victoria Ango,  said many schools reject corps members because of lack of accommodation.

“It is against this backdrop that the effort of Monica can greatly be appreciated because her efforts will not only eradicate the suffering of her colleagues but also afford the school the opportunity to have more corps members posted there and encourage other corpers to emulate her and do more for their communities,” she said.

 Meanwhile, Monica’s father, David Onuoha said he was very happy that his child was able to complete a project of such magnitude.