By Amaka Abayomi

The Rock Foundation, a faith-based charity organisation, in partnership with the Lagos State Ministry of Education has handed over fully equipped computer laboratories to 14 public schools under the Support Our Schools Initiative of the State Ministry of Education.

Speaking at the commissioning of the ICT centre at Iponri Junior Secondary School, the Senior Pastor, House on the Rock, Paul Adefarasin, said access to functional computers would open a new vista for the children.

“Though computer literacy has become expedient for proper development of human capital, but sadly, statistics show that only 1 in 27 people have access to a computer in Africa as against 1 in every 2 persons in the developed world; and this is responsible for the disparity in the human capital development compared to the rest of the world.

“As part of our contributions to various state secondary schools, we embarked on ‘Project 2014’ which is aimed at complementing the efforts of the state Ministry of Education with 100 state-of-the-science computer laboratories.

“It is our hope that these laboratories would be maximized for the benefit of the students as we would soon conclude discussions with Microsoft Nigeria to enhance the benefits of the ICT labs with access to the IT Academy that provides teachers and students with IT training resources.”

Commending Rock Foundation for their efforts in bringing public schools in the state to international standards, the Lagos State Commissioner for Education, Mrs. Olayinka Oladunjoye, urged other corporate organisations and good spirited individuals to work with the state government to uplift the standard and quality of education.

“Education remains a veritable tool for socio-economic development of any nation and this administration is aware of the need to partner with others to provide qualitative education in the state.

“There are 1,001 primary schools, 636 secondary schools and 5 technical colleges in the state and the daily influx of people into the state is stretching the resources budgeted for education and infrastructure of these schools.”