By: Monday Danladi, Bauchi
Nigeria Representative of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Cristian Munduate has expressed dissatisfaction with the state of educational infrastructure dilapidation in Bauchi state.
She therefore called on the State Government to as a matter of urgency commit more investment to the education sector particularly basic education in order to accommodate the number of children aspiring to attend school.
Cristian Munduate who is in Bauchi state on official assessment visit spoke while fielding questions from Journalists after visiting Gyamzo Central Primary School and Tudun Wada Primary School, Toro to assess the UNICEF supported Nigeria Learning Passport (NLP) and WASH services.
The UNICEF Representative expressed optimism that with more investment in the basic education sector, the growing number of out-of-school children will be drastically reduced.
According to her, “Okay. So, in total, in Toro LGA, what I found and I have learned today, is that the entire LG, for example, have more than 138,000 children at school age Primaries. There is around 380 schools, this gives an idea of how to do planning about it.”
She added that,”How many children are able to go to school? So we see that, here, we have children attending school, but there are some classrooms that are empty and they are entirely empty, because there is lack of teachers. They are empty because the classrooms needs a lot of investment, they are empty as well at times because of security issues.”
Cristian Munduate said that,”So, in this case, we are making a a very urgent, serious call, we’re making a call to this State authorities. First to come and visit the conditions of schools at the different LG levels. So they can see, from her side, this situation of children and why they cannot be educated.”
According to her,”That need to be on board. So you need to have supports, but we have to understand that the primary responsibility of government is to be accountable and comfortable to provide education to the children at state level by the state government.”
She however stressed that, “So, UNICEF is not here to take over others responsibilities. We are here to complement and to support the efforts that we have and we see on ground. And that is why it is important for people to know. And for people to ask the government to allocate more resources, to educate their children well.”
“We have the plans to give the tablets for the NLP and boss the programme. But like this is not enough, if you don’t have the rest of the components. So, it is not about how many tablets, it is about how we can make an acquirent investment for education and quality education for children.”
” So we have 138,000 children covered only by 386 schools, you make the numbers, this doesn’t match. And then you have a lot of of classroom unoccupied because the roofs are falling apart, because there are no boards too, there are nowhere you can sit. There are no teachers. So I said, we cannot provide everything, but it won’t work if the other pieces are not there.
The UNICEF Representative also visited Tudun Wada Primary school, Miyabarkatai where she assessed the WASH facilities there and commended the school authorities as well as the LG for the development.
She assured that UNICEF will continue to support and intervene where necessary because its main mandate is for the welfare and wellbeing of women and children.
