As Nigeria grapples with a burgeoning rate of out-of-school children, a non-governmental organisation HalimaFactor Community Initiative has commenced moves to ensure that more children are granted access to Western education in the country especially in Northern region where insecurity has led to closure of many schools.
This is the gap HalimaFactor Community Initiative seeks to fill with the introduction of Feed And Read programme where no fewer than 20 Almajiris are at the moment undergoing a 3-month basic literacy class in Gombe State.
At an unscheduled visit to the sangaya school which serves as the training centre for this project on Friday as part of activities marking the 2022 Children’s Day, President and Founder of HalimaFactor Community Initiative, Halima Usman expressed satisfaction with the level of progress recorded so far.
She said in the past six weeks since this project commenced, the benefitting Almajiri children have shown tremendous improvement on how to form simple words with the alphabet.
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While noting that any investment towards the education of young people, especially under-privileged children is a worthwhile venture, Usman who doubles as the chairman Association of Nigerian Authors, ANA Abuja chapter underlined that every child is an asset to the country and requires adequate care.
She said several problems confronting the Nigerian nation at the moment is directly or indirectly linked to lack of proper education.
“I am happy to inform you that one of my greatest hopes and aspiration is how to reduce the number of out-of-school children and increase literacy rate especially in the North.
“I believe that education is power, it is emancipating. Many of the problems we are faced with today is directly or indirectly connected to education” she noted.
Usman therefore tasked politicians, well meaning individuals and corporate organisations to join hands in ensuring that more children are granted access to basic education as a way of securing a brighter future for them.
“I want to call on our political leaders who are able to buy political office nomination forms at 100m and willing to spend more on delegates and campaign to please take the issue of educating the Nigerian children and youth very seriously. For Nigeria to become better, these children need to be educated both on Islamic and western education.
“I also call on well meaning Nigerians to consider supporting the many sangaya (Quaranic) schools and the almajiris we have around us so as to secure their future and better the country” she added.
Our correspondent gathered that while learning basic literacy, the children are being provided with food as well as toiletries like soap and detergent to keep their bodies and cloths clean and healthy.
While expressing satisfaction with the excitement in the eyes of the children who are hopeful that one day they will become soldiers, teachers, governors and presidents. Usman thanked the Mallam and teachers of the sangaya for allowing the children to participate in the project as well as the Islamist school for making their facility available for the project, assuring that her Initiative will reciprocate their kind gesture.
Usman also appealed to the federal government and the leadership of Academy Staff Union of Universities, ASUU to quickly reach a compromise and ensure that the ongoing strike is resolved to enable students go back to their classrooms.
Recall that not long ago, HalimaFactor Community Initiative also organised free Pre-JAMB CBT training for admission seekers who participated in the recently conducted UMTE examinations.
