The Federal Ministry of Education has lauded the First Lady of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, for donating 140,000 copies of seven books for distribution to public school libraries across the country, describing the gesture as a major boost for literacy, values-based education and national development.
The ministry said the donation, made through the First Lady’s partnership with the Merck Foundation under the Renewed Hope Initiative, would help strengthen reading culture, promote responsible citizenship and support the holistic development of Nigerian children.
Receiving the books, the Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa, said the intervention aligns with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda and the ministry’s drive for quality, inclusive and learner-centred education.
According to the ministry, the books address critical issues such as girl-child education, child protection, healthy living, gender-based violence, reproductive health, social responsibility and character development.
The ministry described the donation as “a major investment in literacy, values-based education and the holistic development of Nigerian children.”
It said the books, produced through the First Lady’s partnership with the Merck Foundation under the Renewed Hope Initiative, are designed to support not only reading and learning, but also the moral and social development of children.
Alausa, according to the statement, described the books as “practical educational resources that will strengthen literacy, critical thinking, empathy and responsible citizenship.”
He also said the donation “aligns with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda and the Ministry’s commitment to quality, inclusive and learner-centred education.”
The minister acknowledged the First Lady’s longstanding commitment to the education sector and pledged that the books would be effectively distributed to public school libraries across the country to ensure they reach the intended beneficiaries.
The ministry further described the intervention as “a lasting legacy that will deepen Nigeria’s reading culture and support the development of responsible, productive and globally competitive citizens.”
It added that the donation underscores the growing importance of educational support initiatives that combine literacy with values formation, social awareness and character development among young learners.