Bayelsa Back-to-School Campaign…

The National Association of Seadogs (Pyrates Confraternity), Oxbow Marino Deck has taken the ‘Back-to School’ campaign to secondary schools in Bayelsà State to promote education, literacy, academic excellence and a sustainable reading culture among students, while providing essential educational materials to support their academic development.

Key Highlights

• Back-to-School Campaign: NAS Oxbow Marino Deck takes education advocacy to secondary schools in Bayelsa.
• Reading Culture: Initiative promotes literacy, academic excellence and daily reading among students.
• Educational Support: Essential learning materials were donated to support students’ academic development.
• Reading Club Established: Tarakiri Community Secondary School Reading Club was inaugurated.
• Student Empowerment: Students were encouraged to take their studies seriously and pursue their future aspirations through education.

The campaign which was kick-started at the Tarakiri Community Secondary School, Ayama-Ijaw in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of the state, is an
initiative seeking to establish a sustainable platform through the creation of a reading club in the school.

Cap’n of Oxbow Marino Deck, Timiebi Binafeigha, who led a delegation of members of the National Association of Seadogs, to the Tarakiri Community Secondary School, explained that the intervention is a pilot project being launched with the intention of replicating and expanding the initiative in other schools and communities in the future.

He encouraged the students to take the programme seriously and make effective use of the educational materials being provided.

Principal of the school, Mrs. Mathew Ebitei, encouraged the students to pay close attention to the reading culture advocacy and to take advantage of the knowledge and opportunities provided by the project.

She expressed her appreciation to the members of the National Association of Seadogs, Oxbow Marino Deck, for choosing Tarakiri Community Secondary School for the intervention.

Author and educationist, Annete David-West, speaking on the theme: “The Importance of Reading, Literacy, Academic Excellence and Personal Development,” emphasized the critical role of reading in academic success, intellectual development, character formation and personal growth.

Read also:

The students were encouraged to cultivate reading as a daily habit, broaden their knowledge beyond classroom lessons and develop the discipline required to achieve academic excellence.

The advocacy also highlighted the importance of literacy as a foundation for lifelong learning and personal development.

A major component of the project was the establishment and inauguration of the Tarakiri Community Secondary School Reading Club with the appointment of Mrs. Faith Orubo as the matron/coordinator of the club.

New members of the reading club were formally inducted, with students encouraged to participate actively in the club’s activities and make reading an integral part of their academic and personal development.

The students were further encouraged to take their studies seriously and to see education as an important pathway to achieving their future aspirations.