..Distributes Learning Materials
By Lola Seriki-Idahosa, Kaduna
Tracereporters –United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF) in collaboration with Kaduna State Universal Basic Education Board, has enrolled over 1,000 out of school children in a hard-to-reach Farar Kasa community of Soba Local Government Area of the State to take care of the basic education needs of about 1,000 children who have never been to school.
The partnership is also set to establish a new primary school in the agrarian community, while adult education programme will be established for those above school age.
Speaking during the distribution of uniforms and writing materials to the enrolled pupils ahead of new academic session beginning in September, UNICEF Chief of Field Office, Kaduna, Dr. Gerida Birukila said, the closest primary school to the community is about 12 kilometers away.
Noting that, distance had denied the community children access to school, the UNICEF boss said, “Few months ago when we came here for a medical outreach, we discovered that a lot of children who should have been in school, were roaming about and when we asked, we were told that, the community does not have a school, even though the would like to send their children to school.
“So, we took their request to Kaduna State SUBEB and we discussed about the possibility of bringing a school here and here we are today, it is going to happen.
“This community is hard-to-reach. So, it is isolated in terms of health, education and others. It is one of the communities that are disadvantaged because of their location. We very happy that the children will now go to school and this will definitely reduce the number of out of school children in Kaduna State,” she said.
The UNICEF boss however called on the community to take ownership of the school project and ensure the children go to school.
She also promised that, the Farar Kasa community will be provided with potable borehole water and a medical facility, while adult education will be provided for the locals above school age.
Chairman of SUBEB, Alhaji Tijjani Abdullahi commented UNICEF for its consistent to Kaduna State in the areas of education and healthcare delivery.
He said SUBEB was currently implementing its 2023/2024 projects with the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), hoping that, by December, funds will be available for the construction of the school’s permanent structure to take off in January 2025.
Abdullahi said, Kaduna SUBEB had in the last four years built over 2,000 schools. “Now, we are going to access our UBEC funds for 2024, and we have promised this community that, we are going to build some classrooms here.
“I have also spoken to the Local Government Chairman, because the local government employs teachers for the primary schools, so we are already making arrangements for the teachers that will teach in the school. They will start teaching in the temporary school facility that was provided by the community,” he said.
In his remarks, the Chairman Soba Local Government Area, Hon. Abdulmumini Bawa Gamagira expressed appreciation to UNICEF and SUBEB for the intervention, saying that, education is key to development.
The Chairman stated that, 80% of the challenges facing Nigeria today, especially insecurity is because of illiteracy. adding that, “If we are able to overcome illiteracy, 80% of our problems will be addressed.”
He said that the community no longer has any excuse, because lack of school that was the excuse will now be a thing of the past, adding that, “we need to cooperate with the UNICEF and SUBEB for the success of this project,” he pleaded.
The Village Head of Farar Kasa, Alhaji Habeeb Suleiman expressed happiness with the school project, saying that, “Our children lacked access to school especially during rainy season, because the closest school to this community is in far away Kusallo.”
Highlight of the occasion was the symbolic distribution of uniforms and other school materials to the over 1,000 school children, the school materials includes school uniform, shoes, books: primary 1,2,3, exercise books, sucks, pencil and cleaners.
