From Femi and Edirin Robinson, in Kaduna
The Save the Children International (SCI), with funding from Education Cannot Wait (ECW), has launched a Back to School Campaign for the enrollment of out-of-school children into formal schools and alternative learning centers in Kaduna State.
Speaking during the Campaign at Mahuta Community in Chikun LGA, the State Program Coordinator, SCI, Altine Lewi, said that the campaign is part of an intervention to ensure that children displaced due to banditry or environmental hazards such as floods are enrolled into schools.
Altine Lewi, who gave an overview of the project, explained that two LGAs, Chikun and Igabi, were selected as beneficiaries due to the urgent need for education intervention after the kidnapping of school children in Kuriga and also the high number of school Children and displaced people in Igabi LGA.
She added that aside from the Back to School Campaign, her organization will be training teachers on various aspects such as literacy, numeracy boost, teaching at the right level, and teacher in crisis to boost their capacity to deliver excellently.
“We are all aware of what is happening in some parts of the Northwest, Kaduna inclusive, where we have some areas with IDP camps due to banditry, You find children who cannot access schools and even those who have access can’t learn well due to overcrowding.
“So, we are working with the State Government as our Partner because we are leveraging on existing structures like the schools, the SBMC structures, the teachers, and others. We also have the LGAs, the Parents, traditional and religious leaders because they are key in acceptance, and finally, the children who are the major beneficiaries.
The State Program Coordinator disclosed that, for areas without schools, her organization would be establishing learning centers and engaging volunteer teachers to help teach the children so they, too, can access quality education like other school children.
Similarly, the State Education Secretary, Dr Bulus Ibrahim, harped on the importance of education, noting that humans cannot coexist or function effectively in various fields without it; hence, it is paramount that everyone, children especially, should be in school to learn.
“Nigeria has a policy that makes education compulsory for everyone regardless of gender, status, or religion, so nobody should be denied education; it is a must. We also have our field Officers who are mobilizing stakeholders to ensure that every child that is of school age returns and stays in school because society will be safe when we are educated.”
The Education Secretary, who was represented by Mr. Hassan Ezra Dantawaye, maintained that as an education industry, his organization is equipped with all the necessary manpower to ensure that out-of-school children who return to school will learn effectively through monitoring and supervision.
He noted the efforts of the State Government in tackling the security challenges that have closed down communities and led to the displacement of families and also commended religious leaders who provided their places of worship as the center for learning.
“We want to thank God because before now, in Kaduna State, there used to be a lot of security challenges, but we thank God for the security interventions and what our Governor is doing. Most communities that have been closed for years are now opened, people have returned to their homes and learning is now taking place to the glory of God.”
