MAY 27: CHIEF WHIP ENHA, ENEH DECRIES INCREASED RATE OF CHILD ABUSE, POVERTY, INSECURITY, MINIMAL BASIC EDUCATION AFFECTING NIGERIAN CHILDREN, CALLS FOR CHANGE OF NARRATIVE

CHILDREN'S DAY: CHIEF WHIP ENHA, ENEH DECRIES INCREASED RATE OF CHILD ABUSE, POVERTY, INSECURITY, MINIMAL BASIC EDUCATION AFFECTING NIGERIAN CHILDREN, CALLS FOR CHANGE OF NARRATIVE

Published by JANE-CARESTV, Saturday May 27, 2023

Children's Day in Nigeria is observed annually on 27th of May, as a day set aside to mark celebration of children and also raise awareness on issues affecting them. In commemorating this event, we appreciate these young and beautiful creatures who are the future of the society. 

As part of Children's Day Celebration in Nigeria, parades are usually organised for schools, where government awards prizes to the best schools with outstanding performances during the celebration. 

By the theme of this year's Children's Day Celebration - "Investing in our future means investing in our children", there is a clarion call for all hands to be on deck in prioritizing the future of our children and the society at large. For us to improve on the future of our younger generation, we must pay attention to the issues affecting them. That way, we can be at the forefront of making life better for them.

Taking stock of progress in our educational sector, one must identify the challenges affecting the system and consider policy options that will enable us move rapidly towards achieving the twin global agenda on educational advancement - Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the African Charter 2063". 

Greater investments are needed to save our children in so many key areas affecting them ranging from poverty, hunger, discrimination, neglect, limited educational opportunities, child abuse, insecurity, absence of support, among others. 

Insecurity on the other hand has become an alarm bell begging for a lasting remedy. Incessant cases of abduction of teenagers/children in schools, roads and farmlands across the country in recent time is quite becoming regrettably upsurge.

One fact that has become disturbingly obvious than the other is the fact that children are disproportionately caught in the middle of all the crisis and chaos going on in the country. Children who are exposed to child labour are most times been kidnapped and the government at the centre claims to be helpless in this situation, such that parents of the abducted children are made to pay ransom to secure the release of their innocent kids. 

Analyzing further, the rising figures of "out-of-school" children in the country according to records from UNICEF and United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) runs at 18.5million and 20million respectively. This is a wake-up call begging for attention or declaration of "emergency on education, especially at the basic education level", which is the critical foundation for all forms of child learning. 

As the incoming government at the centre comes on board, with the unveiling of its blueprint in strengthening the security architecture, addressing and repositioning of the early childhood education programs for a strong and resilient national educational system, all relevant stakeholders like community and religious leaders, teachers, parents/guardians are called to be partners in this progressive service. 

This clarion call to save the soul of our society through a collaborative effort is a call for all and sundry to bring to bare every spirit of patriotism in us to salvage the country. 

Expressing these views during a press briefing with the media team of JANE-CARESTV, Chief Whip ENHA, Hon. Mrs Jane Eneh, Member representing Awgu North Constituency, emphasized that while government continues to do its best in making frantic efforts in ensuring that our children are duly given the best in childhood education and also supported where necessary, Parents and guardians must also live up to their responsibilities in effective child upbringing. Imbibing the right values, culture and good moral etiquettes into our children at their early stages of life, will go a long way in impacting positively on their attitudinal behaviours in their youthful age. 

Stating further, Chief Whip explained that children are special blessings from God and the way and manner "we train them at their early stage of life determines the way they will go when they grow up" - Proverbs 26:6. 

"Aside the efforts of the government, well-spirited individuals and corporate bodies are also encouraged to show concerted efforts in investing on children with through human capital development programs on catch-them young scholarship schemes, e-learning project sponsorships, Technology and ICT, among others, for a progressive society," Chief Whip added.

Happy Children's Day to all the children in our constituency, state and the world at large, Chief Whip wishes. 

#OkolikeMichael

Media Assistant to the Chief Whip ENHA.