Francis Sardauna in Katsina

A non-governmental organisation (NGO), Goalprime Organisation Nigeria, has empowered 21,959 pupils of formal and informal schools with learning materials in Musawa Local Government Area of Katsina State. 

With funding support from Education Cannot Wait, the NGO donated the educational materials to 15,371 pupils in 12 formal schools and 6,588 pupils in the informal sector in collaboration with Save the Children.

Items distributed to the pupils and teachers included thousands of school bags, exercise books, mats, rulers, pencils, sharpeners and other essential educational materials. 

Presenting the items to the beneficiaries, the Country Director of Goalprime Organisation Nigeria, Prof. Christopher Chinedumuije, reiterated the organisation’s unwavering commitment to providing effective and efficient education to children affected by conflict. 

He noted that the programme, which is currently being implemented in Katsina and Zamfara States, aimed at ensuring that children continue to have access to learning irrespective of the “protracted nature” of conflict faced by the states.

He said out of the 21,959 pupils that benefitted from the educational materials in Musawa Local Government, 6,588 were undergoing the organisation’s three-month alternative learning programme preparatory to formal education.

He explained that after the alternative learning programme, the pupils will be mainstream into the formal school with enrollment kits and “we will have positive parenting sessions with their parents to ensure that they do not drop out from school”.

He said the organisation has recruited and placed over 100 teachers on its monthly payroll for one year, and equipped them with modern instructional materials to boost teaching and learning in the local government.

He stressed that the organisation will also provide gender-segregated latrines, psychosocial support services and livelihood interventions in all the schools where the programme is being implemented.

He said Goalprime Organisation Nigeria is deploying a gender transformative and development index approach in all its programmes to capture more children, especially girls and those living with disabilities. 

“Our target for children with disabilities is about 15 per cent. Our target for girls is about 60 per cent. That is why it’s a gender development index approach,” the country director added.

Chinedumuije, however, said the organisation has inaugurated various Disaster Risk Reduction Committees to provide early warning information to communities in order to mitigate climate change.

Earlier, the Education Secretary of Musawa Local Government, Yahaya Shuaibu, commended the organisation for providing the educational and instructional materials to pupils and teachers in the area.

He added that the initiative would also complement efforts of the state government to ensure that children in underserved communities were properly empowered and supported academically.

Highlights of the event included stakeholders’ sensitization on Disaster Risk Reduction, drama presentation and live sessions with the learners.

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