ROFOCA improves access to education for Africa’s vulnerable kids

The Rochas Foundation College of Africa (ROFOCA), Owerri, is established by Governor Ethelbert Rochas Okorocha of Imo State as a private co-educational boarding secondary school funded by the Rochas Foundation. ROFOCA is part of the Rochas Foundation Colleges with branches in Imo, Oyo, Kano, Plateau and Sokoto states set up to provide educational opportunities to […]

The Rochas Foundation College of Africa (ROFOCA), Owerri, is established by Governor Ethelbert Rochas Okorocha of Imo State as a private co-educational boarding secondary school funded by the Rochas Foundation. ROFOCA is part of the Rochas Foundation Colleges with branches in Imo, Oyo, Kano, Plateau and Sokoto states set up to provide educational opportunities to “the poorest of the poor,” according to the founder. 

The schools provide free and qualitative education to the less privileged children and those displaced by conflicts or natural circumstances.

According to information on the college’s website, in establishing ROFOCA, the founder aims at a classic institution, which is to provide free, comprehensive and qualitative education to the less privileged children across Africa. ROFOCA, like its sister college, admits brilliant African children whose parents cannot afford to send them to school due to financial constraints.

Okorocha, speaking on the essence of the school said, “We care and are passionate about offering these children exciting, stimulating and rich curriculum, based on real reasons for learning because irrespective of background, we believe that every child counts and should have the opportunity to meet their potentials and develop the academic, creative, social and moral skills that will enable them secure and fulfill a happy and prosperous future for themselves and for the African community at large.”

According to Okorocha, the target of ROFOCA is to provide educational opportunities to millions of street and out-of-school children by the year 2030 irrespective of background, religion or tribe and with the vision to transform and build a desirable African child through an all-inclusive, challenging, stimulating and exciting curriculum.

Every year, ROFOCA admits five poor kids from each African country and provides for them a broad-based education using international best practices. Students write the Junior Secondary School Examination in JSS 3 and Senior School Certificate Examination in SSS 3.

ROFOCA provides free meals, uniforms, shoes and traditional wears for all students.

Students are looked after by experienced academic and non-academic staff following clear boarding policies and practices while student-teacher relationship is said to be positive.

The college has an effective policy that prevents bullying in whatever form as well as ensures the provision of balanced and nutritious meals to students.

Admission into ROFOCA is by recommendation. First ladies of various countries, recognized interest groups and reputable religious leaders can recommend candidates who must be between the ages of 12 and 14 years.

During a recent visit to the school, the First Lady of the Republic of Guinea, Hajia Djene Kaba Conde, lauded the landmark achievement of ROFOCA.

Hajia Conde, who was at ROFOCA to visit students from her country, said like the vision of ROFOCA, every patriotic African should think about the future of the continent and that the only way to guarantee a prosperous future for the continent is to invest heavily in education.

She said an educated nation will quickly be transformed into a developed nation.

Hajia Conde said: “I thank the president of the Rochas Foundation College for this wonderful initiative of educating the poor children of Africa. I received the letter to bring five of my children to study free in Rochas Foundation College through the First Lady of Nigeria, Hajiya Aisha Buhari, who is a good friend and a sister. I didn’t hesitate because I understand the importance of education to our children and society at large.”

For her, the dream of the founder of Rochas Foundation was to create a sense of brotherhood among Africans similar to the vision of pan Africanists such as Kwame Nkrumah, Julius Nyerere and Nnamdi Azikiwe.