By Ankeli Emmanuel (In Sokoto State)
A not for profit organization, the Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS) in collaboration with the Christian Blind Mission (CBM) and Hikima Community Mobilization and Development Initiative (HCOMDI) has launched an educational project for communities ravaged by insecurity in Sokoto state.
The project, co- founded by European Union (EU) is aimed at ensuring not guaranteeing not just safe but ensure access to quality and inclusive education for crisis affected children in Sokoto, north West Nigeria
Recall that Sokoto being Seat of the Caliphate is home to the Sultan and President General, Nigeria Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) Muhammad Sa'ad Abubakar, thus considered as the center of Islam in Nigeria.
Giving reasons for the educational intervention, JRS submitted that years of instability and insecurity have had a very devastating negative effect on children's education thereby possibly limiting their future opportunities.
Country Director of JRS, Fr. Temple Anuforo has stressed that "North West Nigeria, and Sokoto State in particular, carries a weight the humanitarian committee has been a bit slow in coming to see. In Sabon Birini, Isa and Kware, we found children who have been out of school, others have been forced to drop out of school for years,classrooms that have collapse rather than merely deteriorated.
"And girls and boys kept home not because they lack the desire to learn, but because there is no latrine, no safe route to schools and no functioning borehole or reliable water sources".
He therefore stressed that the partnership between JRS, HMC and HCOMDI will address these challenges and create effective learning opportunity for 25,000 children from across the 3 implementing local government areas of Sokoto, namely Sabon Birni, Isa and Kware respectively.
While divulging that the educational intervention will give 60 percent priority to girls, JRS said, "it will target more than 9000 out of school children to return to learning and prioritise children that are internally displaced as well those from returnee and host communities with particular attention to Almajiri children and those with disability".
Continuing, JRS said they are happy that the EU- Founded project in Sokoto placed inclusion at the hearts of it's approach. NNL.
