The National Chairperson of SWAN, Mrs Catherine Nnaji, during the donation to the schools in Lagos on Tuesday, said that the society extended the gesture to promote an excellent academic environment for the students.
Nnaji stated that libraries offered good research background for students to learn, think, create, share and grow with no worries on affordability.
“SWAN believes in knowledge, research, exploring, learning and improvement by studying wide and in-depth.
“Without knowledge, as a student and even as a professional, you cannot fulfill your potential. That is why equipping libraries with professional books is one of our mandate,” she said.
According to her, SWAN is optimistic that through its equipping libraries project, it would groom more young girls into committed readers that would be smart enough to delve into the accounting profession and cope excellently.
Nnaji explained that the accounting profession is wide and encompassing, as it was the only profession reliant to all organisations and businesses.
She said: “You must embrace the habit of good reading as students, because quality reading makes you more knowledgeable, smarter and gives you a global knowledge on people, places, culture and events.
“Reading improves your vocabulary, concentration, calculations and makes you excel in your academics.
“As such you must use the school library as often as you can, in order to research better, without having to worry about buying the good books yourself for lack of funds.
“The accounting profession makes one a better citizen, empowers you mentally, socially, academically and financially, but you can only achieve this if you read wide and aim high.’’
According to her, the ICAN-ATS programmes have been designed to accommodate secondary school leavers and prepare them to become chartered accountants, hence, the students should take advantage of the opportunity after their graduation.
The Chairperson, SWAN Equipping Schools Libraries Committee, Mrs Ronke Akeredolu, said that the project which was initiated by Nwamara in 2021 and marking its fourth edition, was designed to furnish secondary school libraries.
Akeredolu said that the aim of the project was to empower and inspire the girl-child, promote and improve reading culture among secondary school students and enlighten students about SWAN and ICAN.
She lauded SWAN executive, members and the ICAN leadership for their contributions toward sustaining the project and thanked the various school authorities for their support.
Responding, the Principal, Festac Girls Senior Secondary School, Mrs Anthonia Akinyemi, commended SWAN for the donation, noting that the gesture showed that the society placed the girl-child in high esteem.
Akinyemi also lauded the society for using the project as a means of giving back to humanity and contributing to the progress of the nation through the girl-child.
“Readers are leaders of tomorrow. I charge you girls to read the books that have been bought for you to become a better person in life.
“As a school, we will also make good use of the books donated and preserve them, as we expect more support from SWAN in other areas,” she said.
SWAN in its 44 years of existence comprises female members of ICAN with a mandate to assist the institute to attend to the soft issues and non-core areas regarding the development of women and children, especially the girl child. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)
Edited by Adeleye Ajayi
