Oando Foundation Upgrades 10 Early Childhood Centres in Rivers to Strengthen Basic Education, ,

Funmi Ogundare

Oando Foundation recently inaugurated 10 newly upgraded Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD) centres across four public primary schools in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
The intervention, carried out under the foundation’s LEARNOVATE–SEED (Supporting Early Childhood Education and Development) initiative, reinforces its commitment to improving learning outcomes for young children and promoting inclusive and equitable education systems in Nigeria.
The benefiting schools include Seabed Model Primary School, St. Paul’s Model Primary School, Cornel Abbe Model Primary School (CAMPS), and Community Primary School.
The project featured the provision of 720 ergonomic chairs, 120 tables, bookshelves, wall-mounted whiteboards, playmats, and 50-inch LED television sets preloaded with age-appropriate educational content. Each classroom was also equipped with visual learning aids, reading corners, and murals, while one ECCD block underwent a complete overhaul, including the installation of playground equipment and outdoor learning facilities.
Speaking at the handover ceremony, Tonia Uduimoh, Head of the Oando Foundation, described the initiative as a strategic investment in Nigeria’s human capital development.
“As an indigenous organisation that draws a significant pool of its talent from the local labour market, it is important that we contribute meaningfully to national development, especially in building human capital,” she stated. “Through the SEED initiative, we have upgraded learning spaces, provided age-appropriate instructional materials, and trained teachers to ensure that children from low-income backgrounds can learn in environments comparable to their peers in private schools.”
The Director of Administration and Supplies, Mrs. Mina Gabriella Tolofari, who represented the Chairman of the Rivers State Universal Basic Education Board (RSUBEB), Sir Samuel Ogeh, commended the foundation for its continued investment in basic education.
As part of the intervention, the foundation also organised a two-day hands-on training for ECCD educators, headteachers, education officers, and caregivers across the 10 learning centres. The capacity-building session focused on child development, curriculum delivery, inclusive teaching practices, outdoor learning, and effective use of the national ECCD curriculum.

, Education – THISDAYLIVE, November 5, 2025, 9:21 am