In an effort to promote sustainable effective formal education, the Delta State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), in collaboration with the Ika South Local Education Authority (LGEA), has commenced a community sensitization campaign to promote girl-child education and tackle the challenge of out-of-school children in Ika South Local Government Area.
The campaign, which also focuses on nomadic children and children with special needs, was flagged off by the Education Secretary, Ika South LGEA, Comr. Anyia Matthew Chima, alongside education officials, community stakeholders, members of the School-Based Management Committee (SBMC) and other critical stakeholders.
The School-Based Management Committee and its indefatigable Executive Committee, led by Chief Benjamin Ogwu, were fully involved in the flag-off sensitization campaign, and contributed actively to the mobilisation and engagement of parents, community members and other stakeholders.
Their participation underscored the importance of community ownership and grassroots support in achieving the objectives of the campaign.
During the exercise, Anyia called on parents and community leaders to prioritise the education of their children, stressing that every child deserved an opportunity to learn and develop.
He urged parents to take advantage of the benefits available in government schools, including quality teachers, free teaching and learning materials, a decent learning environment, recreational and sports facilities, clean toilets, water supply, and comfortable and suitable furniture.
The Education Secretary also stressed the importance of giving the girl-child and children with special needs equal access to education, noting that no child should be denied the opportunity to acquire knowledge and skills because of gender, disability or social circumstances.
Shortly after leaving the Office of the Education Secretary, the sensitization team visited the Secretariat of Ika South Local Government, under the leadership of Hon. Engr. Jerry Ehiwarior, where they were received by the Head of Personnel Management, Mr. Bertrand Ojei, who represented the Local Government chairman.
Receiving the team, Ojei said the Local Government chairman was at the forefront of promoting education in Ika South local government and was willing to collaborate with the Local Education Authority to ensure that children who are out of school return to public schools across the local government area.
He commended the Education Secretary for taking the campaign to the grassroots, stressing that concerted efforts by the local government LGEA, parents and communities would be required to achieve meaningful results in reducing the number of out-of-school children.
A major highlight of the sensitization exercise was the engagement with market men and women, as the team took the campaign directly to the marketplace to reach parents and guardians in their places of business.
Addressing the traders, the team emphasised the importance of sending every school-age child back to school, particularly the girl-child, children with special needs and those who might have dropped out of school.
The team reminded the traders that their businesses and daily economic activities should not prevent their children from receiving effective basic formal education.
Parents were encouraged to ensure that their children attend school regularly instead of engaging them in trading activities during school hours.
The market men and women were also informed about the benefits available in public schools, including quality teachers, free teaching and learning materials, a decent learning environment, sports and recreational facilities, clean toilets, water supply and comfortable and suitable furniture.
The interaction generated strong interest among the traders, who welcomed the initiative and expressed their willingness to support the campaign.
They promised to do the needful by ensuring that their children and wards of school age are enrolled in public schools and attend classes regularly.
The team also appealed to the traders to become ambassadors of education within the marketplace, encouraging them to speak to other parents and families whose children are out of school and persuade them to return their children to the classroom.
The Education Secretary said the campaign was not merely an awareness programme but a call for collective action, urging parents, traditional rulers, religious leaders, traders, the SBMC and other stakeholders to join hands with the government in ensuring that no child is left behind.
He particularly acknowledged the importance of the School-Based Management Committee and its leadership under Chief Benjamin Ogwu, whose active participation in the flag-off exercise demonstrated the commitment of community-based education stakeholders to supporting government efforts to improve school enrolment, retention and learning outcomes.
