Oputa Foundation Initiates Free Education Program to Alleviate Poverty in Nigeria

Folalumi Alaran in Abuja

As millions of Nigeria continue to live below the poverty line, the President and Founder, Gregory Oputa International Foundation, Dr Gregory Oputa, Monday, disclosed that the essence of giving free education is to better lives of less privileged Nigerians.

Speaking on the vision and commitment to ensure less privileged Nigerian children be at par with their contemporaries, Oputa said the Foundation was divinely instructed and led by God to establish the Arco Memorial Free School in Aboh Kingdom, Ndokwa East Local Government Area of Delta State.

According to him, the Foundation ensured that every service is freely rendered to the pupils including bus services, uniform, sandals, books, feeding, and others, and also it was to create employment for the people.

He said: “The Gregory Oputa International Foundation is always led by God before we do anything to add value to society. Our school, Arco Memorial Free School, is absolutely free but of international standards, where tuition, uniform, sandals, books, feeding, and school bus services are all free.

“Before the end of 2024, we shall have the secondary school, which will also be free and to added to the primary school. The goal is to get our own higher institution, and it will be free of charge.

Meanwhile, on the cost of running the school free for pupils and parents, he said it is huge but did not disclose the amount involved.

“For us, we are being led, and it is not cheap but to maintain international standards, and when necessity is laid upon a man to do something, it is for God’s blessing. Some of these children might not have the time to formally relate with us, but God sees and knows about what we are doing.

“Being free and humanitarian services we are rendering the cost is huge but I would like to keep the cost private but it is really high but we are equal to the task, and we on God’s side we are unstoppable.”

However, he disclosed plans to replicate the same school in other local government areas and the entire country.

“We also have plans to replicate the same in other communities and local government areas in order to add value to the lives of the less privileged, and that is our goal as the Lord leads and blesses us to replicate it everywhere.”

Meanwhile, he passionately appealed to wealthy Nigerians to sacrifice and transform the lives of less privileged Nigerians.

“I appeal to meaningful Nigerians in the country and diaspora who are placed in high authority, businessmen and businesswomen to do the same for the people who are downtrodden so they can also go to school and become successful as well.

“It is not all about the government doing everything alone, but it is you and me because the government can not do everything. Your billions of Naira sitting in your account doing nothing can be used to transform the lives of these people, and it is not enough to do it for your family members but those whom you do not know, and God blesses you more for that”, he said.

He also pointed out that due to the current hardship Nigerians are grappling with and gasping to survive, therefore they are not able to meet up payment of school fees and other levies, he (Oputa) appealed to owners of private schools across the country to reduce tuition and other levies.

“My appeal to private schools is to be reasonable with their fees, and I know every investment in business has an overhead to take care of but even at that they should be considerate and reasonable, knowing that some of these students do not have the means of livelihood and some of their parents cannot afford it due to the predicament and state of our country cannot foot the bills. So my appeal to them is to subsidize and make it affordable for the students”, he added.