More great news from our math project
“Assalamu alikum. It has been a long time since we communicated. Please pardon the dereliction. Permit me to place an order of 100 copies of the book titled ‘Algebra Survival Guide: A Conversational Guide for the Thoroughly Befuddled through you. I am ready to pay not only for the books but also for the shipment […]
“Assalamu alikum. It has been a long time since we communicated. Please pardon the dereliction. Permit me to place an order of 100 copies of the book titled ‘Algebra Survival Guide: A Conversational Guide for the Thoroughly Befuddled through you. I am ready to pay not only for the books but also for the shipment to: Abdullahi Danjuma Shuaibu, Kano State Pension Fund Trustees, No.9, Sokoto Road, Kano, Kano State, Nigeria. Wishing you Allah’s forgiveness in this month of rahama and the highest place in Jannatil Firdaus.”
Yours sincerely,
Abdullahi D. Shuaibu.
First, I asked myself “who’s this generous man from Kano?” I was about running to the internet to as my Kanawa friends when I realized that I knew the name – actually, he’s one of my “ogas at the top!” Exactly two years ago, it was from Mal Abdullahi Shuaibu that I received an invitation to visit the Kano State governor; and when I arrived Kano, he was the one who took me to Governor Kwankwaso.
After this realization, I wasn’t surprised that he made such donation. It’s in his character. Additionally, he’s ordered 100 copies of the companion workbook, so 200 copies in total.
Mal Abdullahi’s record didn’t last long before others equaled it. Later, someone even shattered it. It was as if he opened up the century floodgates. We’ve two more yan aljanna who want to donate the books, one of them promised a hundred, all of them from Katsina State.
The first one to contact me was Mal Sadik Ahmad:
“Hi, I happened upon your article by chance, as I am not an avid reader of your column or your paper. However, I am very passionate about education in general, which prompted my friends and I to float two community day junior secondary schools in Katsina, largely, for primary school drop-outs, who for reasons of being underprivileged cannot secure placement at existing public schools.
I understand you require volunteers who can help in the distribution of the book. I am willing to assist in both the purchase and distribution. Please link me up with anybody at anywhere either in Kaduna and or Kano where I can purchase a few copies for a start. I will abide by all your conditions.
I thank you in anticipation.”
The second one was from Dr. Abba Abdullahi.
“Salam Ibraheem,
My name is Dr. Abba Y. Abdullah, an Abuja based consultant in fisheries and agriculture. I have always enjoyed your column, Prof Brainy. But the recent topic on becoming mathematics ninja really caught my fancy. The reason is because my colleagues and I operate an NGO in Malumfsahi and Karfur areas of Katsina State, called Association for Educational Development, Growth and Empowerment, (AS-EDGE). The NGOs is the educational development of student in the area and in line with this, we carried out lots of activities towards this goal. The most pertinent was the extra-lessons held to give an edge to students in mathematics and English. We believe our round one was a success.
AS-EDGE considers this exercise a success because the results from WAEC and NECO after the exercise have shown some significant improvements in the number of credits in mathematics and English. WAEC results showed an increase from 0.2% in 2011 to 26% increase in 2012 in English (credit and passes) and from 0.2% in 2011 to 30% in 2012 in mathematics (credit and passes). NECO examination showed from 53% passes in English in 2011, to 80% in passes in 2012. Also 47% increase in passes was recorded in mathematics in 2012 with 4 credits. This modest effort clearly shows that with a little push, our students can excel in any endeavour of life and therefore, we would like to expand this to all.
We would therefore appreciate if you can enroll us into your program and link us up to where we can get the book. We intend to buy 100 copies.”
The author of the book also mailed me to express his appreciation and excitement.
“Hello I. Dooba,
It made my morning, to ready your column about the positive response to the “Algebra Survival” program in Nigeria. It is great to hear that teachers are finding the book a useful and enjoyable tool for teaching algebra to the students in your country. I would like to do whatever I can to help keep the success moving forward.
So feel free to let me know if there’s anything else I can do to help. In sha Allah [he spoke Arabic!] the success will continue and all students in Nigeria one day will [master] algebra!
Kind regards,
— Josh”
From Adamawa
But still, the best donor by far is Mal. Bashir Ahmad, our coordinator in Adamawa State. He has not only bought 50 copies of the book, but has also caused the teachers to start using them to teach the students (or platoon, as he calls them). Now he’s again ordered 100 more copies of the book, 90 copies of the companion workbook and a few copies of the teacher grader. Isn’t he the best?
From Kaduna
Remember the “borrower” I told you about last week? He’s paid back the money after my friend, Abubakar Abubakar Umar (who convinced the chairman to donate in the first place) threatened him with arrest.
We thank Mal Salisu Sulaiman, the chairman of Kaduna North Local Government for the donation. I understand that you want to donate more? Please do and may God reward you and all the givers with the best of rewards.
Want more information about the math project and how you can help? Please email me.
PS: My apologies to those who, when they request to send money to my account, I direct them to either the publisher, book sellers or coordinators. I only do that because I don’t know how to keep my own money, therefore, the least qualified to do so for others.