The Federal Government, through the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants, and Internally Displaced Persons (NCRMIDP), on Thursday unveiled plans to provide scholarships to 10 students living in the IDP Camp in Durumi, Abuja, for their university education.
The NCRMIDP Federal Commissioner/Chief Executive Officer, Hon. Aliyu Tijani Ahmed, disclosed this during the inspection of classrooms constructed by three National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members at the IDP Camp located in Durumi, Abuja, and approved for the commencement of computer education.
While expressing excitement over the collaboration between the Commission and Brightlife Vision Foundation pioneered by Hajia Binta Sidi, the Commission’s helmsman reiterated the present administration’s resolve to prioritise the well-being of refugees, migrants, and IDPs across the country.
He said: “We are at Durumi IDP camp to observe what has been going on in this camp, particularly in the area where Hajia Binta has worked tirelessly to provide computer education to the children of Durumi camp.
“I want to, on behalf of the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants, and Internally Displaced Persons, appreciate Hajia Binta for the efforts that she has put in place to ensure that children living in this camp get educated. I assure the general public that the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants, and Internally Displaced Persons will continue to partner with her and provide all the necessary assistance so that our children in the camp are not left illiterate.
“In addition, the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants, and Internally Displaced Persons intends to sponsor about 10 IDP camp students to pursue their university education in one of the universities with which we are going to have a partnership.
“We are going to pay for their JAMB registration and school fees for the rest of their stay in the university.”
While pledging the resolve of the Federal Government towards fending for their needs, Hon. Ahmed assured that in line with the mandate of the Commission to provide for their upkeep, protection, and support for all the IDPs living across the country, the Commission has profiled about 40 households that will be relocated to Keffi, which is about 60 kilometres away from Abuja.
According to him, “The interested persons have been profiled and hopefully we will begin relocating in the next few weeks.”
While noting that there is no intention to expand the school established in the IDP camps, Hon. Ahmed assured that the Commission will expand the existing schools at the Keffi IDP city.
He, however, expressed regrets that all the primary and secondary school classrooms within the IDP camps established by various Foundations have been abandoned, hence he assured that the Commission will collaborate with the Universal Basic Education Commission with a view to deploy permanent teachers to teach within the IDP camps.
He also expressed excitement that the classrooms being used by Hajia Binta’s foundation were constructed by three National Youth Service Corps members. Now we want to streamline this issue of teaching in some of these classes. I realised that most of the Foundations that had built some classes here have left and nobody is on the ground again; nobody is here to continue providing education for these children.
“I think in this case the Commission will come in strongly. We will partner with UBEC here in Abuja to get some teachers because this will give us continuity here rather than depending on some of these Foundations that will come and leave.
“Additionally, the Commission does not intend to expand the classes because this is not the permanent place.
“We have our permanent place in Keffi, and we have built classes there; we have built a healthcare centre there; we have also built a skill acquisition centre there, including a police station to provide security to our IDPs.
“I think we would add more classes there rather than adding more classes here where it’s not permanent because this place belongs to somebody.”
In her remarks, the Founder of Brightlife Vision Foundation, Hajia Binta Sidi, disclosed plans to train 1,000 IDPs across the country.
According to her, the Foundation deals with destitute children, less privileged, IDPs, and orphans.
While applauding the Commission for the provision of solar power for the ICT training, she explained that the Foundation is to provide teachers that will train the beneficiaries.
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