Eneka community in Obio/Akpor Local Government has asked private schools owners to take at least one child from the community or leave the community.
Joel Akah, the Public Relations Officer (PRO) of Eneka community, Obio/Akpor LGA said the schools agreed to waive the tuition fees of 91 Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVC) on the condition that the Eneka community waives their annual fee for community development.
Mr Akah noted that a Memorandum of Understanding was signed to waive an annual tuition fee of ₦45,000 per child and an annual community development fee of ₦50,000 per school for 15 years respectively.
According to him, the total cost of the 15-year scholarship for 39 male and 52 female OVC is ₦61,425,000 while the total cost of a 15-year community development waiver is ₦91,500,000.
This he said was a result of aggressive advocacy mobilization and visits to the paramount ruler, community development committee, and National Association of Proprietor of Private Schools (NAPPS) and Associations for Formidable Education Development (AFED) by Widows and Orphans Empowerment Organisation (WEWE).
NAPPS has 41 schools while AFED has 50 schools running the 15-year scholarship program, he stressed.
The PRO of the community and Chief of Party (COP) for WEWE enjoined the caregivers who received scholarship offer letters to take their children’s education seriously.
Widows and Orphans Empowerment Organisation (WEWE), in partnership with USAID and PEPFAR, work to improve systems and structures at communities, Local Government Areas (LGAs), and state levels to provide integrated quality care, protection and support for OVC and their households.
