AS part of its efforts to eradicate the menace of child labour and reduction of out-of-school children, the International Labour Organisation’s (ILO) Dutch Government funded-ACCEL Africa Project in Nigeria, has distributed new school uniforms, sandals, socks, school bags, exercise books and textbooks to pupils within cocoa producing and artisanal gold mining communities in Nigeria.
According to the Child Labour Desk Officer for the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment (FMLE) in Niger State, Alhassan Mohammed, members of the receiving communities in Niger State are now changing their attitude towards child labour and education since the distribution of school kits.
He also stated that the project has led to a replacement of children in the mines by adult workers.
“It is a “trickle-down effect”, Alhassan said, noting that although all the children who benefitted from the back-to-school kits were regular miners at some point in their lives, the culture of engaging children in mining was reducing noticeably, as people now wanted their kids to go back to school.
At the event, profiled pupils of L.A Primary School Ita-Olorun, Idanre; L.A Primary School, Oke-Agunla; St. Patrick R.C.M Primary School, Aponmu; Community Primary School, Wasimi Odunwo; Sokoto Ogundele Community High School, Wasimi Odunwo; Muslim Primary School, Bamikemo; Ademulegun High School, Bamikemo; St. Williams Primary School, Omifunfun, St. Michael Primary School (RCM) Paadi; Ekimogun Comprehensive Secondary School, Bolorunduro, and St. John’s Anglican Caring Heart Mega Primary School, Fagbo-Oja in Ondo State received the back-to-school kit support.
Also in Niger State, pupils of Day Secondary School, Kpmakpma; Kpmakpma Primary School; Government Junior Secondary School, Kuchiko; UNICEF Pilot Primary School, Kuchiko and Government Day Secondary School, Maje also received their back-to-school kits. More pupils identified have been scheduled for the intervention.
Addressing beneficiaries, parents, guardians, community leaders and residents during the distribution, the National Project Coordinator for the ILO ACCEL Africa Project in Nigeria, Agatha Kolawole, who represented the Country Director of the ILO Office for Nigeria, Ghana, Liberia and Sierra Leone, Vanessa Phala, noted an overall improved learning experience, reintegration of out-of-school children into the system, ensuring their retention in school and reducing the exploitation of children in Nigeria’s ASGM and cocoa value chains as the aims of the intervention.
The Community Engagement Officer (CEO) for the ILO ACCEL Africa Project in Fagbo 1, Ondo State, Olutayo Wunmi, also observed that the campaign against child labour was changing the community, as children now understood the significance of the project.
“The difference is clear, and the bad practises have reduced considerably. This project has helped a lot but there is more to be done,” Wunmi said.
Afolabi Mary, a parent whose seven-year-old child attends St. Patrick R.C.M Primary School, Aponmu, still reveling in the excitement of inclusion of her child, confirmed that the children were being constantly monitored for attendance and performance by members of the Child Labour Monitoring Committee (CCLMC) in the community.
For Balogun Abel, a Class Teacher at St. Patrick R.C.M Primary School Aponmu, the support by the ILO ACCEL Africa Project in Nigeria has encouraged even non-beneficiaries and their parents to yearn for education.
Mr Abel attributed the increased attendance, social engagement and participation in the classroom to improved self-esteem arising from the support and expected a clear reflection in performance assessments during and at the end of the current term.
In the coming months, the ILO ACCEL Africa Project would expand the intervention to include psychosocial support for child labour victims, vocational skills training and startup capital for youths and children within the legal working age for alternative livelihood.
The project also considers an extension of the campaign to accelerate the elimination of child labour to Ibala, a community in Obokun Local Government Area of Osun State, blessed with cocoa and gold, yet plagued by the child labour scourge.
and then