Students of the System Education School, Abuja have been told that Students Anti-Corruption Clubs (SACs) in schools are set up by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to ensure that youths in Nigeria are well-groomed for leadership responsibilities in the future.
The Director, Education, Mr. Baba Ashiru said this when he received students of the school on behalf of the ICPC Chairman, Prof. Bolaji Owasanoye, during their excursion to the Commission recently.
He said that ICPC placed a high premium on the youths, and therefore, gaining their support in the anti-corruption effort provided hope for a better Nigeria.
Also, while addressing them, he stressed the need for them “to tell the truth and do the right thing at all times, and spread the word on and against corruption” in order to guarantee a future generation of men and women of integrity.
Ashiru added that as anti-corruption club members, they must see themselves as corruption reporters, and must therefore report every act of corruption to relevant authorities.
In a power-point presentation for the benefit of the visiting students, Ijeoma Ozor of the Education Department, ICPC, enlightened the students on the functions of the Commission as well as corruption, and its negative effects on the society. She stressed that in order to achieve their dreams they must desist from examination malpractice, telling lies, and other forms of corruption.
Earlier in her remarks, the Head Teacher of the school, Nsofor Cordis Ngozi, said the visit was aimed at making the students learn more about the activities of ICPC, as it was a requirement under the National Value Curriculum (NVC), an initiative of the Commission, embedded in the education curricula. She pledged that the students would put the knowledge to good use.
At the end of the visit, the students were presented with copies of ICPC publications, wrist bands and other such mementoes.