A cross-section of pupils in Nigerian public schools in the 19 Northern states have expressed dissatisfaction with their governors over what they said is the near nonchalant attitude towards reducing the worrisome number of out-of-school children in the region.
The school children brought together by the United Nations Children’s Fund, UNICEF, used self-created pictures to describe several factors that have continued to militate against educational development especially in Northern Nigeria.
It was not a fine arts class, but an exercise put together by the UNICEF under the Girls Education Programme, GEP 3, to mark the 2020 International Day of Education.
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Thousands of children have been out of school in Nigeria’s North-East and 12-year old Primary 6 pupil, Hawawu Hussain, filled with emotions, passionately presents her worries in a drawing.
The passion for girls education exhibited by 10-year old Tearth Glovaru, a Nigerian born Indian, caught the attention of everybody at the exercise.
Tearth, an only child is unhappy why girls should remain at home to hawk and do house chores, while boys are allowed to attend school.
Tearth shared his desires with UNICEF on how India and Nigeria can help save the girl from the forces militating against her education.
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Away from Tearth, a pupil from the Yakassai Model Primary School in Kano Municipal, 12-year old Muhammed Salisu in Primary 6, did not hide his feelings about the dirty environment around him and how it breeds mosquitoes which cause Malaria that makes children sick and unable to attend school.
Climate change and its devastation is disturbing to 12-year old Primary 6 pupil, Mhadija Yakub, who told AIT she is worried that girls like her are unable to attend school and get the best of life due to the negative effect of using firewood to cook.
As UNICEF continues to create more visibility on the importance of education in Nigeria, it seeks increased commitment from government, religious, and traditional rulers in making sure there is continuity of initiatives aimed at keeping children in school, to complete at least basic education
