By Ekaette Udo-Ekong

For the first time, a stakeholders meeting was held at the Lafarge Africa PLC. Mfamosing Plant. The meeting is an event in the educational support programme where issues concerning the programme are tabled, findings, challenges and recommendations are considered for effectiveness of the programme.

The meeting’s objective was to summarise in general terms, the secondary & tertiary programmes, performance of beneficiaries in 2017, share the results of the 10 students that completed secondary school in 2017, discuss challenges faced during the year under review, and develop plans for 2018. The meeting had over 100 participants from secondary schools, University of Calabar, Cross River University of Technology (CRUTECH) and the Community Relation Committee, Lafarge Reps, parents and teachers.

Key highlight at meeting was the presentation of prizes to secondary school students with a class average of over 75% at the last academic session and the plan for 2018 which includes programme expansion to include more indigent students and other educational programmes such as establishing school clubs. This will boost the self-esteem of students especially at the communities schools.

At the end of the meeting all participants were given a tour of the Plant and an informative session on how cement is manufactured from limestone.