Okonkwo Foundation Holds Seminar On Career Choices For Students
The Annie Okonkwo Foundation (TAOF) has called on young people to take their education seriously and be careful in making career choices.
TOAF gave the advice at a seminar organised for secondary schools in Anambra in collaboration with the state government on Saturday.
The programme was commemoration of the second death anniversary of Sen Annie Okonkwo who represented Anambra Central District.
Mrs Chinyere-Annie Okonkwo, Chairman of Board of Trustees of the foundation and wife of the late senator, in a remark said the foundation was established by her husband as ‘Agunechemba Scholarship Foundation’.
She said her husband was a lover of education who used the foundation to uplift many brilliant but indigent students.
“He was a man who loved education, but could not achieve it at a tender age because he lost his father at the age of 18.
“He went into business, and when he became successful, he started training other people through his foundation.
He was however able to attain educational height in life before his death. When he died, we now changed the name to The Annie Okonkwo Foundation (TAOF).
“We are here to extoll his legacies and also mentor students on career choices, this foundation has been growing, today it is not just about scholarships, but mentorship, career counseling and health interventions,” he said.
In her keynote address, Prof. Nkechi Ikediugwu, Chairman of Post Primary School Service Commission said the career seminar was to review the future of education in Anambra and Nigeria.
Ikediugwu who was represented by Dr Uche Okeke, a Director in the Commission extolled the late Sen Okonkwo describing him as a father, a mentor and strong believer that education was a powerful tool to change the life of every child in our nation.
“Sen. Okonkwo’s foundation has become a beacon of hope for many young people who might not be privileged enough to gain education.
“From paying WAEC fees for students to providing scholarships, the foundation represents what it means to serve humanity through education.
“We need more well-meaning Nigerians to uplift and to build an educational system where everyone has an equal chance to succeed,” she said.
Success Smith,
Director of The Annie Okonkwo Foundation (TAOF), welcomed guests to
In her address of welcome, Ms Success Smith, the Programmes Director of TAOF said the career seminar was aimed at inspiring and exposing students to modern educational and career trends.
Smith said the Career Seminar and Scholarship Award would feature lectures across varying fields if endeavour including tech, finance, public service, and the creative industries.
“This event is in the spirit of late Sen. Okonkwo who believed in investing in people. It aims to connect and plant seeds of ambition and direction in the hearts of every young person.
“Today marks a bold step in a new direction of a shift from the conventional classroom-to-exam model to a more forward-thinking conversation about real-world possibilities.
She said the programme was a product of collaboration with the Anambra State Post Primary Schools Service Commission (PPSSC) and other agencies.
Resource persons included tech expert and content creator, Dennis Egwu and Jaybee Onochie who harped on the need for student to acquire digital skills, to be able to stay afloat in today’s world.
