First Bank reaffirms support for education

First Bank Nigeria has expressed the commitment of the bank to support the education sector by ensuring quality standards of institutions of learning.

The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the bank Dr. Adesola Adeduntan, who disclosed this recently at a virtual meeting on education with the theme: “Does Kindness have a Role,” said the focus of the event resonates with the strategic pillars of the bank’s Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability, which are “education, health and welfare, financial inclusion and responsible lending and procurement.”

He also noted that as part of the corporate responsibility and sustainability initiatives, bank undertakes projects under the SPARK (Start Performing Acts of Random Kindness) initiative, “and creates public awareness on the importance of people showing acts of kindness to others on a yearly basis.”

He stated: “The National Centre for Educational Statistics, 2019 report stated that one out of every five (20.2%) students are reportedly being bullied during a school year. This results in long-lasting damages in the victims such as loss of self-esteem, depression, poor performance, suicide attempts and unfortunately, a continuous cycle of bullying.”

Adeduntan hinted that empathy is at the core of their brand promise, adding that they care about the mental well-being of every individual.

According to him, “There is no gainsaying that a mentally balanced student will perform excellently and make a wholesome community. Indeed, the role of kindness in our learning institutions cannot be emphasized. I, therefore, urge all parents, teachers, and caregivers to teach the values of kindness and empathy to their children/wards thereby helping the young ones to see the outward impact of their actions in developing a just and sustainable world for everyone.

“We have a role to teach them this value by the very acts of kindness that we demonstrate. At FirstBank, we will continue to demonstrate our passion for Education and an unwavering commitment to ensuring quality standards of learning in our institutions. If we will all assume the role of kindness, the world will become a better place to live in starting from our own immediate circle.”

(This Day)