Ojo: PPP Will Help Reintegrate Out-of-school Children 

Mr. Adeyemi Ojo is the Head of Commercial, BIC Nigeria. In this interview with Funmi Ogundare, he explained how public-private partnerships through outreach initiatives and corporate social responsibility can help reintegrate out-of-school children. Excerpts:

Your organisation has been actively involved in promoting educational development in Africa. What key initiatives and projects have you undertaken to support education in the region?

As a leader in the stationery space, education is at the forefront of our community-focused efforts. It is part of our DNA at BIC. In 2018, we launched a sustainable development initiative, ‘Writing the Future Together’, that guides the company to act responsibly with the planet, society, and future generations in mind. One of the five commitments made through the initiative is to improve learning conditions for 250 million students by 2025. In Nigeria, our commitment to support this goal is through three programmes that we have been running in the country for several years now: They include product donations and school refurbishment: Every year, we commemorate Global Education Week during the third week of November. BIC teams in Nigeria and worldwide usually visit educational institutions to refurbish their facilities and donate the necessary writing tools to enhance their educational experience. 

Last year, we partnered with Afropop star, songwriter, actress, and education advocate Yemi Alade. The partnership kicked off during the back-to-school season in West Africa with the debut of the third instalment in BIC’s original video series, ‘Get A Pen You Can Rely On’, highlighting the importance of high-quality and reliable writing products inside and outside the classroom.  

BIC has a strong focus on empowering communities through education. Can you cite instances of how your company collaborates with local organisations, governments, or educational institutions to achieve this goal?

Stemming from our commitment to education and our goal of improving learning conditions for 250 million students by the year 2025, the year 2022 was characterised by three major education-focused activities for us. In partnership with Raising Star Africa Foundation, a Nigerian non-profit organisation focused on providing educational accessibility for differently abled children in African communities, BIC renovated classrooms at the Local Government Nursery and Primary School and Inclusive Unit in Igando, Lagos. 

The main goal was to enhance the quality of the overall environment as well as provide sufficient and relevant learning tools for students. This took place following the floods that hit Lagos last year and negatively impacted some of the schools, one of which was in Igando. BIC also partnered with Let it Shine Academy (LISA), an organisation that provides free and quality secondary education and access to the arts, to provide students with the necessary tools for writing ad drawing, learning and self-expression. in the wider region, BIC has and continues to support schools to enhance learning environments for students. Last year, in Ivory Coast, the organisation transformed classrooms in select schools from blackboards to whiteboards through the BIC Velleda School partnership. The upgrade to whiteboards is a focus for us in the region, following the project’s positive impact on Ivory Coast. 

Access to quality education remains a significant issue in many parts of Africa. How does BIC ensure that its educational initiatives reach underserved and marginalised communities? 

While our commitment to education is a global one, it is deeply rooted in the local communities. We have a strong regional and local presence in Africa, including West and Central Africa. Our understanding of the culture, the environment, the challenges and opportunities in the education space, as well as our connections, allows us to build robust programs that aim to target and have a real impact on local communities strategically. Our partnerships to date and the educational organisations and individuals we work with are a testament to that. We have more to come this year and beyond.

What do you think are the major challenges hindering educational development in Nigeria, and how can organisations better impact low-cost and public schools to ensure that out-of-school children are taken off the streets?

The Nigerian educational system has improved significantly in the last few years, with the government and all associated stakeholders making significant strides to develop the system. For instance, the incorporation of the private sector into our educational system has allowed for some remarkable improvements in the quality of education delivered in our schools. However, just like any nation with a great population and a resilient economy such as ours, there is always room for improvement, especially in the areas of funding and infrastructural development. This is why enhancing educational development in Nigeria remains a crucial priority for our organisation and the nation. To achieve this, at BIC, we recognise the importance of collaborative efforts between the public and private sectors. 

As such, we aim to contribute to the sustainable development of Nigeria’s education system and empower future generations by fostering relevant partnerships and implementing innovative solutions through our CSR initiatives. Another effective approach to address these is through collaboration with private organisations to implement initiatives such as mentorship programmes and connecting students with professionals in their fields of interest. Others are after-school programmes focusing on subjects like STEM or the arts that also foster academic development and a love for learning; engaging with the community through outreach initiatives helps identify and support out-of-school children, offering scholarships and vocational training for future employment. Private organisations can contribute to education through their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) efforts, collaborating with the public sector to reintegrate out-of-school children and provide opportunities for their growth.

You have mentioned the renovation of classrooms at the Local Government Nursery and Primary School/ inclusive unit in Igando. How is that expected to boost the population of pupils in the school and drive learning outcomes?

One of our key strategies when it comes to education, in the region and around the world is to enhance and elevate the quality of educational facilities. This stems from our commitment to improving learning conditions for 250 million students by 2025. Like many of our other initiatives, the Local Government Nursery and Primary School/inclusive unit in Igando activity aimed at improving the condition of the school following the harsh floods that took place in Nigeria last year and negatively impacted the facility. Current and prospective students would benefit from the refurbished school facilities and the necessary writing tools provided. While the renovated facilities would attract more students to the school and provide a better learning environment, the writing tools would ease parents’ financial burden of buying new writing instruments. Ultimately, we hope that similar activities would contribute to making education more accessible for local communities such as that of Igando. 

In your experience, what are the key challenges that BIC has faced while implementing educational initiatives in Africa? How has the organization overcome these challenges?  

One of the major challenges faced in Nigeria is the poor learning conditions in schools. While we as an organization contribute towards improving learning conditions through different tactics, including facility refurbishment and product donations, it remains difficult for students to assimilate adequately under the poor conditions in some educational facilities. In some cases, there aren’t enough tables or chairs for students in a classroom, or you would find classrooms with broken ceilings or windows. The learning environment often has an impact on students’ performance. As BIC, we try to contribute to resolve such challenges by taking further initiative in the provision of class furniture, whiteboards, teaching aid and even complete renovations of classrooms such as our latest renovation of the Local Government Nursery and Primary School inclusive unit in Igando. However, to have more impact, private and public organisations, as well as capable individuals, need to all contribute towards trying to resolve this challenge, as every action makes a difference.  

What are BIC’s plans and aspirations regarding educational development and sustainability in Africa? Are you embarking on new projects or partnerships?

Our commitment towards education and improving learning conditions for 250 million students by 2025 remains at the forefront of our CSR strategy, and our actions are laser-focused on achieving that. Our education-focused activities are ongoing and take place throughout the year. To learn more about what we have done in the past, please visit our website. We have many plans for the rest of the year and the years ahead, so keep an eye on our social media channels and website for our exciting initiatives and more to come.