In it’s effort to fight illiteracy and to
brighten the darkness of ignorance in the country, Save the Children has vowed to educate over 28, 000 out of school children in Katsina state through its Program “Education Can’t Wait”.
The Program Manager incharge of Katsina State Altine Lewi made this known during a joint monitoring group of the Technical Working Group (TWG), for the integrated Emergency Education Response in Northwest Nigeria held in Mashi.
Altine Lewi said that, the aim of the programme is to ensure that children that are not going to school or have no access to formal education were not left behind in seeking western education.
She added that, the program enrolled over 30, 000 children both the out of school and in school children as well as parents of the children and other community members.
According to her, learning materials were given to them and some kits which contain soap, detergents, brush, tooth pate, pomade, tissues, pants among others as supportive items which attracted more attendance in the program.
She also stated that, there are some few challenges facing the programme but they are able to overcome them as traditional and religious leaders are cooperating toward the success of the exercise.
Save the Children also works with various government and community stakeholders to strengthen educational systems and improve the quality of learning and the learning environment.
In his remark, the District Head of Mashi Alhaji Kabiru Ibrahim has commended the effort of Save the Children for introducing a programme of this kind and selecting Mashi local government area as one of the beneficiary assuring to give maximum support and cooperation for the success of the exercise.
He called on them to extend the programme to at least two years duration so that many pupils would benefit and called on government to make necessary arrangements for the sustainability of the programme.
Earlier, in his welcome address, the Executive Secretary Mashi Local Government Education Authority Alhaji Kabiru Aliyu said lessons have commenced since in some selected centers within the local government area.
According to him, training was given to volunteer teachers and an allowance of 30 thousand naira is given to each teacher to enable them to discharge their responsibility effectively adding that, Save the Children also made consultations with religious and traditional rulers.
The Monarch urged the teachers to play a parental role to their students in giving them the very best they need to learn, also called on the students to pay more attention and seriousness to their studies for their parents and the community leaders to be proud of them.
Most of the centers visited in Mashi local government area have expressed their interest in the program and commended the organizers especially Save the Children urging them to widen the program so that others can benefit.
