The Provost, Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT) College of Medicine, Professor Uchenna Ekwochi, has described the Smart Green School initiative of Governor Peter Mbah as a transformative investment capable of equipping children with world-class education.
Professor Ekwochi stated this while speaking at the Cultural Day ceremony of the Smart Green School, Umueze Awkunanaw, Nkanu West Local Government Area, where he lauded the Enugu State Government for establishing the facility in the community.
He described the school as a remarkable project designed to provide pupils with quality, technology-driven education that would prepare them to compete globally.
The ESUT College of Medicine Provost said he attended the event not only to celebrate with the pupils but also to encourage them, noting that he was once in their position.
Prof. Ekwochi who is a paediatrician by training, said he used the opportunity to celebrate his birthday and that of his son, Gideon Ekwochi with the children while appreciating the state government for bringing the Smart Green School project to the community.
Professor Ekwochi also praised the proximity of a Type-2 Primary Healthcare Centre to the school, describing it as a major boost to grassroots healthcare delivery adding that the facility would improve access to quality healthcare services for residents and enhance the well-being of the community.
According to him, no community in Enugu State under the current administration has had to lobby for projects to be cited in their domains disclosing that the development reflects the government’s commitment to equitable development across the state.
The professor urged residents to take ownership of the school by protecting its facilities, stressing that community participation is essential to ensuring the project’s sustainability.
The Provost who sponsored the school’s Cultural Day announced a cash reward of ₦100,000 for the overall best graduating pupil transitioning from Primary Six to Junior Secondary School as part of efforts to encourage academic excellence.
Professor Ekwochi encouraged pupils to make the most of the opportunities provided by the Smart Green School, saying the modern learning facilities would enable them to acquire the skills and knowledge needed to compete successfully with their peers anywhere in the world and thanked Enugu State Government for prioritising quality education through the Smart Green School initiative.
Also speaking, the Igwe-elect of Umueze Awkunanaw Community, Dr. Emeka Ani, expressed appreciation to the Enugu State Government for establishing the Smart Green School in the community, describing the project as a major investment in the future of children.
Dr. Ani said the people of the community were delighted to host the facility and were grateful to Governor Peter Mbah for bringing the project to the area.
He assured that the community would take ownership of the school by ensuring its security and protecting all facilities and equipment within the premises, stressing that safeguarding the investment was the people’s way of reciprocating the government’s commitment to their development.
The traditional ruler-elect also commended the benefactor, Professor Ekwochi who supported the Cultural Day celebration, describing him as a committed son of the community who has consistently contributed to both government and community development projects.
According to him, the benefactor has over the years provided scholarships to children from the community and continued to support initiatives aimed at improving the welfare of the people.
He added that the logistics provided for the event demonstrated his enduring commitment to the community’s progress.
On his part, Surveyor Geoffrey Ndubuisi Agbo, described the Smart Green School project as a major step towards transforming basic education and preparing children for a technology-driven future.
Agbo commended the Enugu State Government for establishing the modern learning facility in the community, describing it as a landmark educational infrastructure that stands out across the state.
He said the school’s smart and renewable energy-powered facilities would expose pupils to modern methods of learning and significantly improve their educational development.
Agbo noted that children now have the opportunity to learn with digital and electronic facilities that were unavailable to previous generations, adding that the initiative would help build a smart generation equipped for future challenges.
He also called on stakeholders to take ownership of the facility by protecting it against vandalism and ensuring its proper maintenance.
According to him, safeguarding the school is a collective responsibility because the project belongs to the people and is intended to serve future generations.
Earlier in an address of welcome, the Head Teacher of Enugu Smart Green School, Umueze Awkunanaw Campus, Ngene Nwabueze commended the Provost of ESUT College of Medicine, Prof. Uchenna Ekwochi for fully sponsoring the school’s annual Cultural Day celebration.
Nwabueze lauded Prof. Ekwochi for his generosity in covering all event expenses and providing meals for the pupils.
He said the celebration held double significance as Professor Ekwochi chose the special day to mark his birthday alongside his son, Gideon Ekwochi, sharing their joy with the young learners and community.
He also expressed deep appreciation to the Executive Governor of Enugu State, His Excellency, Barr. Dr. Peter Ndubuisi Mbah, whose visionary leadership brought the modern school infrastructure into reality.
The Head Teacher highlighted the governor’s transformative interventions across the 25 classrooms and administrative offices, including the provision of multi-seater desks, ergonomic seating for staff, continuous solar power supply, and a solar-powered borehole system with overhead tanks to ensure clean water access.
He also praised the ongoing efforts to equip the institution with state-of-the-art facilities—such as smart boards, computers, campus-wide Wi-Fi, science laboratories, experiential learning tools, and a digital library.
While declaring that posterity will remember Governor Mbah for setting a new standard for basic education in Enugu State, the Head Teacher urged other well-meaning philanthropists and public-spirited individuals within and around the community to follow suit in supporting local educational development.
