Old Mutual partners Lagos to support students learning in vulnerable communities

In response to the Covid-19 inspired shutdown of schools in Lagos State, the Nigerian subsidiary of the pan-African insurance firm and global financial services provider, Old Mutual Limited, has partnered the Lagos State Ministry of Education to drive remote learning for students in vulnerable communities.

Senior representatives from Old Mutual and the Lagos State Ministry of Education kicked off the presentation of free 10,000 radio units to students at St. Francis Jnr Grammar School in Iwaya Lagos on Monday, July 27, 2020

The programme, which involves the broadcast of curriculum-based education through radio, is targeted at students in vulnerable communities with limited or zero access to internet-based virtual learnings. Old Mutual is ensuring that the remote learning initiative reaches 10,000 homes by donating free radio units to be distributed to schoolchildren across these underprivileged districts in Lagos State.

In her remark, Alero Ladipo, executive head, Marketing & Customer Experience, Old Mutual said “we understand that despite the impressive growth in internet connectivity and access in Nigeria, there are low-income families who cannot afford to access internet-based virtual learnings, which is fast becoming the conduit of remote education.

“As an organisation, we believe that no one should be left behind in the provision of quality education. So, we are proud to partner the Lagos State Government, who shares the same ethos and have evolved a low-tech and affordable strategy to drive remote education through radio broadcasting. Our support is to enable children from 10,000 low-income families, who cannot afford a radio set, to be able to tune in to this remote education during this pandemic.”

Folashade Adefisayo, Lagos State commissioner for Education, who was represented at the event by Olufunke Oyetola, director, Public-Private Partnerships, Lagos State Ministry of Education stated that the support from Old Mutual would help the state in its quest to broaden the scope of education in the state. “The Old Mutual support is coming at a critical time when we need more hands to help build the future of our children. This exemplary gesture will help us to accelerate the adoption of virtual and remote learning as education and schooling would never remain the same post-COVID-19,” she said.

“As a government and promoters of quality education in the state, we have put in place adequate measures to track the development and usage of the devices by the children for educative purposes. We believe the children would put the materials to good use,” she added.