Tuition-free School Seeks Urgent STEM Intervention

Oluchi Chibuzor 

Cornerstone Mission Academy, a tuition-free school in Papalanto, Ewekoro Local Government Area, Ogun State is seeking for urgent Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematical (STEM) and other educational learning materials.

The intervention is to support over 150 children who are currently not paying school fees in the rural community.

Speaking to journalists recently, during a tour of the school, the founder, Abraham Olorunimilo, said because the school stopped providing food for the children a significant number have dropped out.

He said from school uniforms to books, all the 150 schoolchildren receive all free as teachers are not paid.

For him, reducing out-of-school children in the community was a great burden since the establishment in 2017.

“When we started in this community which is predominantly poor families it was a boarding school and we fed all of them. But because the burden was huge we stopped providing food and we noticed a significant number dropped out. We currently have 150 children which reduce because we stopped feeding.

“In this community, most parents cannot afford school fees. We want to fill that gap by providing them a place where they can nurture their minds to achieve greatness,” he said.

The mathematics teacher and a graduate of Usman Dan fodio University, Mrs. Tomilola Stephen, said teaching in the remote community is challenging as they are doing it voluntarily. 

“We need more teachers to support our vision here for the less privileged children. We are soliciting corporate entities to come to our aid and support us with STEM laboratories, books, chairs, and financial support to complete our classrooms.”