From Sola Ojo, Kaduna
Family Health Advocates In Nigeria (FHANI) has advocated for the policy on e-learning as a means of implementing the Safe School Declaration (SSD).
The Safe Schools Declaration is an international commitment that expresses support for the protection of students, teachers, and their schools during armed conflict, stressing the importance of continued education during emergencies.
Speaking at a two-day capacity-building training for social media influencers and journalists, organised by FHANI in conjunction with Rise Up and Public Health Institute, a Rise Up Fellow, Benjamin Yunana Maigari said, the e-learning policy became necessary in the state in order not to leave school-age children in areas that are experiencing security threat.
He said his organisation and other interests are advocating for e-learning based on the commitment of the State Government to make education available to all the school-age children in the state and punish any parent who refuses to send their wards to school free of charge, especially the basics.
In 2020, the State government threatened parents to send their children to school or risk going to jail.
However, schools in the state have become largely unsafe due to a series of attacks by bandits and terrorists.
“A report released in 2020 by the Universal Basic Education Personnel Audit on Kaduna State, disclosed that there were over 500,000 out-of-school children in the state mainly due to insecurity most of which are found in Kajuru, Chikun, Igabi, Giwa, and Birnin Gwari local government areas.
“According to the report, out of the 2,425,560 children between the ages of 10 and 18 years, an estimated number of 524,670 are out of school 68% of which are girls.
“Kaduna state of recent has been faced with all forms of insecurity mainly banditry and kidnapping. This situation has discouraged parents to send their children to school and has affected girls’ education.
“Kaduna state has no policy on e-learning.”
According to current data from Kaduna state’s annual security report of accountability and transparency 2021, 74 percent of girls affected by insecurity and their communities displaced drop out of schools, and just 20 percent transit to other schools in a different secured location.
“The provision of e-learning in schools will improve enrolment, retention, and learning outcomes”, Maigari added.