By DAYO ADESULU

In its bid to improve education standard in Nigeria, MTN staff will for 21 days engage secondary schools students on intensive teaching that will be geared towards strengthening reading culture in school children.

The Corporate Service Executive, MTN, Mr Akinwale Goodluck said: “21 days of Y’ello Care is a MTN Group staff volunteerism initiative observed annually in the month of June across all MTN operating unit that provides a platform for MTN staff to demonstrate leadership in Corporate Social Responsibility (CRS) as staff take part in social investment projects in various communities of operation.

He noted that as education remains key to Nigeria and by extention Africa’s development, so is education critical to MTN’s overall CSI strategy which is guided by a commitment to adding value in Nigeria education sector and ultimately contributing to socio-economic development.

According to him, the theme: “Investing in Education for All” will among others, focuses on improving educational standards, providing an enabling environment for learning and promote gender equality in education by investing in the education of the girl child.

Akinwale explained that specific projects in line with this focus will include; make reading a child’s habit. “This programme is designed to promote reading culture in Nigeria starting with the Nigerian child as we will partnering with Proact Educational Services who will deploy six reading club across Lagos, Abuja and Port Harcourt,” he said.

He, however disclosed that ‘Teach me Reach me’ is the very project which involves actual classroom teaching, motivational talks and Information Communication Technology awareness workshops. Akinwale who disclosed that because in Sahara Africa the girl child has no enough support to go to school, pledges will be made by MTN staff to support girl child education in the country.

Besides, he noted that there will Y’ello Spelling Bee which is designed to give school children an opportunity to improve their learning ability. According to him, there is a plan to upgrade libraries in fifteen schools across the country, adding that there will be donations of books and other educational material to boost learning.