A Non-Governmental Organisation, A-I Foundation, is making fresh investments to return some out-of-school children back to schools. A United Nations data indicated that there are about 13.2 million out of school children in Nigeria, with the majority dropping out due to poverty.
Founder of the foundation, Mrs. Ronke Adeagbo, at a press conference in Lagos at the weekend, lamented the situation where children desirous of learning and developing their talents, are deprived of the opportunity to go to school, due to socio-economic or environmental factors.
She said the foundation had put in place the mechanism to help deprived children return to schools. “We are concerned about the rate of out of school children and we are willing to help contribute our quota to reduce the number,” Adeagbo said. “The foundation will pay the bursary of children from poor background and reward excellence’. Education drives the economy and educational institutions are the engine room where this happens. Therefore, everyone must have access to good education. If anyone develops a passion for learning, such a person will not cease to grow. Education is not a preparation for life; education is life itself,” Adeagbo added.
She said the NGO had entered into a partnership with the government to launch a pilot scheme in Nasarawa, Lagos and Ogun States as it distributes books to children in Internally Displaced Camps (IDPs). “In Nasarawa State, we visited an IDP, filled with children. They were sacked from their ancestral homes by terrorists. But we saw passion to learn in them. We took some teachers there to teach them the basics: English and Mathematics,” she said.
A trustee of the foundation, Femi Famakinwa, said: “Some people think this problem is only in the North. But it is near us and it’s time we nipped it in the bud before it becomes a big problem. It is now a national issue and I-A Foundation is hoping to increase advocacy as these children need someone to speak for them and engage with government and other stakeholders to reduce the embarrassing figure. Education is the passport to the future, and tomorrow belongs to those who prepare for it today, “he added.