By Tasi’u Hassan
Children in Adamawa State have recommended reintroducing the Home Grown Feeding System to support children from low-income families in attending school without difficulties.
The children comprising students from Government Day Secondary School Karewa, Concordia College, and General Murtala Muhammad College made this recommendation during a courtesy visit to the State Commissioner of Women Affairs and Social Development, commemorating this year’s World Children Day.
During the visit, which was Facilitated by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the children, through Stephen Sabo of Concordia College, urged the commissioner to champion the introduction of a school transport system in the state.
They also called for the full implementation of the policy abolishing corporal punishment and bullying in schools, development of Gender Responsive Education Sector Planning, and reduction of school fees at senior secondary and tertiary levels.
“We request you to use your humble office to push for the introduction of Gender Responsive Education Sector Planning where our Schools will get enough classrooms, water and toilet facilities for our water, sanitation and hygiene needs to enable students enrollment and retention including children with disabilities, free Education from Primary to Junior Secondary and also reduction in the School fees for Senior Secondary and Tertiary level to enable us attain our full potentials.
“We call on you to lead an advocacy for the introduction of School transport/Buses system in Cities and towns of the state. This can be done by the State government in conjunction with Local Government Councils”, he noted.
Mr. Sabo emphasized the need for more teachers and infrastructure in schools and commended Adamawa State Governor Ahmadu Fintiri for signing the Child Rights Law.
He advocated for strengthening the state monitoring committee on the law’s implementation and establishing a support fund for medical and litigation assistance to victims of violence against children.
Mr. Sabo says “We wish to sincerely commend Governor, Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri for accenting the Child Rights Law in the state, this, has further demonstrated the commitment of the government in protecting our lives and enhancing our welfare.
“We urge the government to strengthen the State monitoring Committee on the implementation of Child Rights Law to keep to the promise of the government in doing everything possible to protect us.
“Honorable Commissioner Ma, it will do more good if there is a support fund dedicated to render needed Medical and Litigation support to victims of Violence against Children in our dear State.
“There is a policy abolishing corporal punishment and bullying in schools across the State, we want you to use your good office to see to the full implementation of this policy in order to protect us from maltreatment.
“We need more Teachers in schools, more classrooms, more sporting facilities, more Libraries, more books and many more.”
The children urged the state government to sign the GAVI memorandum of understanding, just as they pledged to safeguard the facilities if provided in their schools for maximum benefits.
“Honorable Commissioner Ma, haven readout our submissions, we are also pleased to let you know that we will play our part to safeguard the facilities if provided to our schools in other to ensure it last as a strategy to sustain the Gender Responsive policy aimed at increasing school enrollment and retention to addressing the high rate of Out of School Children problem in Adamawa State,” he said.
Receiving the children on behalf of the commissioner, Women Affairs, Neido Geoffrey Kofulto, Director of Child Development in the ministry, Malam Hassan Mohammed, congratulated them on their day and promised to forward their submissions to the commissioner, for necessary action.
In commemoration of the World Children Day, marked annually on November 20, the children visited Radio Nigeria Fombina FM Yola, where they presented programs and took over the General Manager’s seat for a few minutes.
