Stakeholders task govs to prioritise education, children’s welfare

Stakeholders in the education sector have asked the governments of all the 36 states and Federal Capital Territory (FCT), to give priority to education of children and their living conditions.

This is coming just as the Gombe State Government and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) have entered into collaboration with the aim of improving the foundational literacy and numeracy levels of pupils in primary schools.

A recent Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS) report shows that 25 percent, that is, only one in every four Nigerian children in primary four, five and six can read a text or solve simple arithmetics.

As part of measures to address the challenge, the Commissioner of Education in Gombe State, Northeast Nigeria, Dr Aishatu Maigari, said UNICEF is coming in to support the state in addressing what she described as the learning crisis.

She told newsmen at a one-day stakeholder’s engagement on Foundational Literacy Numeracy (FLN), by the Gombe State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) in collaboration with UNICEF, that “we have seen the statistics and it is a learning crisis. Children are going to school but they are not able to read and learn.”

She said the statistics indicated that one in three children are not going to school, meaning that they are out of school (nationally) and the three out of four children going to school are not able to learn, read and do simple arithmetic.

“Most of these come from rural areas and poor economic classes,” adding however, that “in Gombe State, we want to make sure that no child is left behind in terms of quality and equity.”

Aligning and proffering solutions to the challenges, UNICEF Education Specialist, Bauchi Field Office, Abdulrahman Ibrahim Ado, said a multi sectoral approach is expected to be implemented, if great improvement must be achieved.

He attributed the problem to teachers, school management (operators) and inadequate teaching and learning materials.

He said: “We must give consideration to the teachers, school environment by making sure the school is safe and make sure the teachers are doing the right thing as well as ensuring adequate and proper monitoring of teachers in schools.”

Abdulrahman also hinted that “before this meeting, we engaged teachers in an intensive 14 days training to build their capacity with the aim of improving their skills and in turn improving the learning of the children,” he stressed.

Read Also: Why labour unions must strengthen ties with govt — Tinubu

Meanwhile, State Governors have been asked to prioritise policies that would make a long lasting impact on the people, especially in the area of education of children and their living conditions across the country.

A panel of discussants made the call during a two-day Northeast Nigeria zonal policy dialogue on social budgeting for child sensitive sectors held in Gombe.

Anchored by UNICEF, Bauchi Field Office Communication Officer, Opeyemi Olagunju, the discussants decried a situation where governors prioritise visible infrastructural projects over and above policies that would translate to better future of the citizens especially children.

The discussants, made up of critical stakeholders in the government, pointed out that governors must particularly ensure implementation of policies in education, health, nutrition and good dieting as well as water, and sanitation which translates into a healthy future for the people.

Mr Olagunju had earlier expressed UNICEF’s willingness to support any state that is ready to increase access for women and children’s good living conditions in line with relevant national and international conventions, particularly SDG’s first four goals.

The discussants particularly stressed the urgent need for state governors to prioritise releasing of funds for women and children-related programmes and activities.

They lamented over the prevalence of street begging and child labour by school age children, prevalence of out of school children, malnutrition among many others which have reduced the chances of a brighter future for children and the society as a whole.

They argued that if the social protection policy is domesticated in each state, it will go a long way in reducing negative child neglect and abuse to the barest minimum.

UNICEF’s Social Policy Specialist particularly called for the involvement of children to say out their minds, using the children parliament platform in the various states.

“If child-sensitive sectors are adequately captured on the budgets and allocations promptly released the problem of insecurity in our region will reduce”, one of the discussants pointed out.