South Africa-based rapper, songwriter, philanthropist and founder of Youth Care Trust Foundation, Charles E Itoko, popularly known as ‘C Blaq’ aka King Blaq, has launched an educational and learning materials charity drive.
The psychologist turned hip hop artiste revealed his plans to initiate essential learning materials and an educational project tagged “RETURN TO SCHOOL DRIVE”.
He made this known during a telephone chat with our reporter.
Speaking to our reporter, he said that these days because most parents send their kids to privately-owned schools, a lot of public schools are plagued by underfunding, low turnout of pupils during registration because of lack of qualified teachers, teaching aids, books, desks and other essential learning materials.
He said that because private schools also pay better than public schools, most public schools lack qualified teachers and are short on general staff too.
Charles said while he cannot help with teachers, he would donate educational and learning materials.
He has therefore enlisted the help of some of his friends and corporate clients through his NGOt to help him raise funds through donations to purchase some of these materials for distribution to select public schools around Festac in Lagos State and Warri in Delta State.
C Blaq said the aim of the initiative is to provide teaching aids for teachers, educational and learning essentials for at least 80-120 pupils in public primary schools in and around Lagos & Delta states.
“I take this as my personal social responsibility project and a way of supporting these underfunded and under-equipped schools and also encouraging the pupils and teachers too.
“These children and the youth are the leaders of tomorrow and education is a key factor in developing their minds and preparing them for the future” Charles stated.
C Blaq further lamented, “it is a pity that most public schools are underfunded and lack some basic amenities and infrastructures” so this initiative is not just about giving back or social responsibility, but a means of supporting the government.
“If we as citizens wait on the government to do everything, then things will continue depreciating. Government alone cannot fund schools, infrastructure or development and so it falls on we the private sector; corporate and individuals to help however and wherever we can by providing an enabling environment in these schools for the pupils,” he said.
He called for donations in materials, resources and/or cash, from friends and well-meaning Nigerians in support of this initiative.