By: Dave Ayodele, Bauchi
Bauchi State Government is to replicate school based community child protection structures across the state to guarantee the safety of children from all forms of abuse and exploitation.
To this end, the State Universal Basic Education Board, SUBEB, and the Ministry of Women Affairs and Child Development are to synergize to achieve this objective in furtherance of governments desire to end all forms of child molestation.
This major decision formed part of the key resolutions reached in Misau during the celebration of the 2024 child safeguarding week organized by Women Development Association for self sustainance WODASS in partnership with Misau Local Government.
Participants drawn from various line MDAs in the state, top Misau local council officials, women groups and students from 6-post primary schools in Misau Emirate also called on Bauchi state government to prioritize recruitment of guidance and counseling specialists to educate students on safeguarding principles.
Hajia Talatu Yakubu spokeswoman from SUBEB promised her boards readiness to extend school based community child protection structures in schools across the state in order to enlighten students on various forms of abuses they could be subjected to within the school and their respective communities and the reporting mechanisms to seek redress.
In her remark, representative of the ministry of women affairs and child development, Mrs Habiba Adamu said already, Ganjuwa, Darazo, Dass and Bauchi Local governments are benefiting from the school based community child protection structures comprising faith based groups, women development officers, traditional leaders and magistrates whose grassroot orientation would help to fight child abuse menace.
Earlier, WODASS programme manager, Magaji Barde while commending WaterAid Nigeria for funding the programme, appealed to Misau Local Council to step-down the training on child safeguarding principles through the already existing WASH clubs in schools in Misau Emirate to enable more students and teachers to benefit.
