UNICEF Partners Blaugrana International on Education

Mary Ekah

In towing the line of the first lady, Mrs. Aisha Buhari, who believes that the Nigerian child is the nation’s future, thus educating him or her qualitatively is the most secure way to guarantee an assured future of the nation, UNICEF is partnering Blaugrana Group International in furtherance of this noble effort.

In an MoU signing event in Abuja, UNICEF revealed that even when the children in their hundreds enrolled for school, it is sad that especially girls are not showing up for class. Though it is discovered that girls’ primary school attendance has gone up generally, this has not been reported for female children from the poorest households. This is one of the reason the partnership between the two global giants is initiated in support of existing projects aimed at the development of and provision of quality, accessible and affordable education for the Nigerian children, perhaps the most vulnerable – the girl child in the troubled areas across the country and by extension the world. This phenomenon is a global challenge. Though in the African sphere, Nigeria is the most hit.

The partners further revealed that it is a common scene to see classrooms where there are 100 pupils and one teacher, or where they learn in the most degrading environment due to lack of well-defined and thought out environment

In a reaction, the Chairman, Blaugrana Group International, Leslie Oghomienor frowned at the situation in north-eastern Nigeria, where due to the ongoing conflict hundreds of thousands of innocent children are deprived of their natural right to education.

“Teachers have paid the supreme prize in the cause of their primary duty and schools razed to the ground or shut down for reasons of sensitive security situations. For us at Blaugrana Group International this is the time to act to help improve our future by helping these suffering children, knowing that indirectly we are securing the lives of our own.”

The partnership involves many other appendages of collaboration where by well-defined and articulated projects in line with the vision of the bodies would be identified and supported annually, in the encouragement of existing projects in pursuance of collective efforts to better the world and Nigeria in particular.

According to a recent UNICEF report, Nigeria has more than 10 million out-of-school children, the highest number in Africa. Unfortunately about 60 per cent of them live in the north. This situation they agree is against the fact that every child, girl or boy, everywhere in the world is entitled to be given a quality education in a conducive and peaceful environment. This the bodies opined is to equip and prepare the child for a meaningful future and enable such lead a worthy and fulfilling life and better the society.