Press Release

The Governor of Bayelsa State, Chief Timipre Sylva today (March 31, 2009) opened a new school built by the Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) that will provide quality learning to over 700 students.

On behalf of the NNPC/Shell/Elf/Agip joint venture, SPDC agreed with the Bayelsa State Government in 2005 to resuscitate the Yenagoa Model School in Okaka-Epie. The completed school has 18 fully furnished classrooms, staff quarters, science blocks, agriculture laboratories, potable water and electricity. It also has conveniences and perimeter fencing to ensure security in addition to a general facelift. The school has capacity for 700 students. 

SPDC Managing Director Mutiu Sunmonu said: "I am proud that SPDC is supporting projects like this. Education is one of the single most important factors in improving people’s lives and I hope this facility will help provide opportunities for thousands of the Delta’s talented youngsters for decades to come."

The SPDC-run joint venture agreed to finance the school construction as part of the Offshore Gas Gathering System (OGGS), a project designed to gather gas for domestic use and export.

Governor Sylva commended the joint venture for the gesture and said the Bayelsa State Government would continue to partner with multinationals to execute development projects.

In other contributions to educational development in Bayelsa State, SPDC has upgraded the Government Science and Technical College, Ekowe. It also awards an average of 412 secondary school scholarships annually to students from Bayelsa State.

SPDC is collaborating with INTELS, a logistics services company and Education Trust Fund to deploy skoool.NG - www.skooolnigeria.com - a web-based teaching programme for mathematics and sciences in rural communities in Bayelsa State. Working with the Ministry of Education and the Science Teacher’s Association, the company currently organises science competitions for senior secondary school students in the state.