Unicef partners traditional leaders to tackle out-of-school challenge in Adamawa

Unicef partners traditional leaders to tackle out-of-school challenge in Adamawa.

From Umar Dankano, Yola 

The United Nations Children’s Education Fund, Unicef,Global Partnership on Education,GPE in collaboration with the Adamawa state government have engaged the intervention of traditional institution in addressing out of school children challenge in the state.

Traditional institutions are well  positioned to drive change at the grassroots level. Given their influence to playing a pivotal role in leading advocacy efforts that promote school enrollment, especially for girls, and ensure that children remain in school.

Addressing stakeholders at a orientation engagement with the traditional rulers domiciled in Adamawa southern zone held in Numan local government area Monday,the Unicef Education expert, Dr. Abdulrahaman Ibrahim Ado said that the aim of the orientation is to strengthen the roles of traditional rulers in promoting school enrollment, retention and transition particularly out-of-school children, girls and vulnerable learners across the state.

Ibrahim Ado explained that the platform is expected to be a renewed commitment by the traditional leaders to serve as education champions in their communities, supporting advocacy, monitoring and mobilization efforts and to enhanced awareness and alignment of traditional institution with state education priorities, policies and donor supported initiatives.

“Actionable resolutions and follow up machanism for sustained collaboration between traditional leaders, Ministry of Education, State Universal Basic Education Board,SUBEB,LGEAs and development partners in addressing barriers to education access and learning outcomes”.He added.

In his presentation on the current status of out-of-school children in the state, Mr.Rufus Isiah Hanawa, Director, planning, Research and Statistics of the Ministry of Education decried that a total of 18,950 children are out of school in the state.

Hanawa lamented that the national level indicates that 10.2 million children are out of school with 8.1 million in their junior secondary school levels urging that all hands must be on deck to address the challenge head long.

Earlier in her remarks, Dr.Nuzhat Rafique ,Chief of field office, Unicef Bauchi stressed that the traditional leaders will be a catalyst to lead the campaign for reducing the number of the out-of-school children in their communities.

Rafique advanced that Unicef as a humanitarian organization is out to protect and promote initiatives for children in ensuring no child is left behind in all aspects of life especially health and education.

Responding on behalf of the emirs and chiefs at the occasion, paramount ruler of Bachama chiefdom,His majesty,Hama Bachama Ismaila Daniel Shaga applauded the development partners especially Unicef for the intervention pledging their cooperation for the success of the program.

Chief Shaga advised the federal government to accord the traditional institution a constitutional role so that legal backing can be provided for the traditional institution to function well urging the state government under Gov. Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri to address the deplorable nature of the infrastructures in the education sector in the state.

Our Correspondent reported that, the one day interface had all the six emirs and chiefs in the Adamawa Southern zone including; Hama Bachama,Hama Bata, Murum Mbula,Amna Shelleng,Kwadi -Nunguraya and Gangwari Ganye as well as top government functionaries and stakeholders in education sector.