In a bid to train Nigerian children on project-based learning which will help them identify problems, build skills and competencies develop a team spirit with a view to providing solutions, Ajeromi/Ifelodun Local Government Area of Lagos State has trained large numbers of public school head teachers and private school teachers on ‘Teaching skills for 21st-century teachers, technological skills for effective and efficient teachers as well as project-based learning skills.’
According to the local government chairman, Mr. Fatai Ayoola, ensuring and providing qualitative education for the people of Ajeromi Ifelodun is paramount to him, hence the necessity to train teachers both in public and private schools to empower them to train students in both the public and private schools to empower them to train students in both the public and private schools in the local government area.
The United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF) has revealed about 35,031,047 under five- year- old children are faceless and non-existent in the country.
The Fund attributed the development to the fact that their births were not registered by the Federal Government.
UNICEF said it gathered the figure from the Rapid SMS information tracking tool, a data collection website that collects information of birth registration through SMS or Text Messages, from mobile users.
This tracking tool allows real time tracking of local and regional birth registration activities in 774 Local Government Areas of the nation.
Speaking at a two- day media campaign for birth registration in Lagos, UNICEF Child Protection Specialist Sharon Oladiji stated RapidSMS allows data to be collected in real time to enable LGA, State, Federal and partners to collect, analyse and react to data more quickly.
According to RapidSMS dashboard, only 8 percent of under five-year-old children are registered in Nigeria.
It showed just 3,046,178 under 5 children have been registered, leaving out about 92 percent of unregistered births amounting to over 35,031,047.
Oladiji stated: “For a child without birth certificate, the record is not with the National Population Commission register and it will be difficult to plan for such.
“So when we depend on age affidavit, when there is a commission set up by the constitution to register children, we are doing a lot of disservice to that generation of children.”
UNICEF Communication specialist Geoffrey Njoku said since data shows Nigeria births seven million children every year, the country must ensure it registers seven million children and not less.
He said: “It is a right, according to the convention and rights of a child, a child must have a legal identity that makes him or her a Nigerian.
“You have to have an identity so that in the system you will not be an unknown quantity, a faceless human being?
“That is why we work on the rights of a child and the right to an identity is one of the rights.”
NIGERIAN children are innovative, energetic and have what it takes to give the country a great future, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo said yesterday.
He spoke with State House correspondents at the end of the Children’s Day Service at the Aso Villa Chapel in the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
According to him, Nigerian children are bright and very creative, noting that the occasion offered the government the opportunity to reflect whether the children were being given the best.
Osinbajo said: “First to say is that all the Nigerian children are special; and they are special because the future of our nation belongs to them and they have all that it takes to give our country a great future.
“They are very bright, they are very energetic, and they are very innovative and very creative.
“Just watching the drama and listening to the music, you can tell that there is so much innovation, so much energy.
“And so, I am completely convinced that our nation’s future is extremely bright because of all of the children that God has given us and the talents he has given us.
“It is also a moment to reflect on the responsibility that we have as a government, as adults to ensure that we give to these children the very best that we can, especially the children of those who cannot afford education, healthcare and all that.
“And that is why the commitment of our government is to that bottom of the pyramid: those who cannot afford education and cannot afford healthcare. Our focus is on trying to get the very best for them.
“And we are going to even do more of that. That is my message.”
The Chaplain of Aso Villa Chapel, Pastor Seyi Malomo, advised the children to have the hope that their future in the country was bright and that they would enjoy it.
The Governor of Edo State, Mr. Godwin Obaseki has said that grooming Nigerian children to compete with their counterparts across the globe, especially arming them with skills and knowledge to meet the peculiar demands of a globalised society would be the best legacy the country can bequeath her children.
Governor Obaseki said this in commemoration of Universal Children’s Day, marked every November 20, by the United Nations.
November 20 is important for a couple of reasons in the United Nations System. It is the date in 1959 when the UN General Assembly adopted the Declaration of the Rights of the Child, and on the same date in 1989, the assembly adopted the Convention on the Rights of the Child.
The governor said that the theme for this year’s celebration, it’s a #kidstakeover, points to the imperative of providing for children opportunities and allowing them the right to express themselves in all sphere of life.
According to him, “As we mark this day, it is important to understand the delicate situation the child in Nigeria lives. In the nearest future, they would be competing with children who have been exposed to the best of cutting-edge technology. With the world morphing into a global village, it is not impossible to have every kid exposed to same opportunities.”
“It is with this thinking that we have embarked on a holistic policy reform to reposition the basic education system in Edo State. We do not want our children to compete with their counterparts in Nigeria; we want to make them global citizens,” he said.
He urged policymakers, teachers, parents and other stakeholders involved in child development to work closely to provide the needed support and incentives for children to realise their full potential.
He noted, “The place of children in the matrix of development is sacrosanct. We must endeavour to build enduring legacies, not just by erecting structures, but by investing in our young, giving them the opportunity to, tomorrow, have reasons to look back and be grateful that they lived in this country.”
More than 60 per cent Nigerian children suffer sexual, physical and other kinds of violence, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) said yesterday.
Ms Ladi Alabi, a Child Protection Specialist with UNICEF, Bauchi Field Office, who visited the Jos Zonal Office of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) said the figure was an indication that six out of every 10 children experience some kind of violence.
“Half of all children in Nigeria experience physical violence, and one in four girls and one in 10 boys experience sexual violence,” she said.
“Also, one in six girls and one in five boys suffer emotional violence from parents, caregivers or adult relatives.”
The child protection specialist added that girls were significantly affected in sexual and physical violence than other combination of violence, while boys suffer emotional and physical violence most.
Alabi explained that the figures were drawn from the Violence Against Children Survey (VACS) conducted by the National Population Commission (NPC) in 2014.
She said that the national survey was supported technically by UNICEF, government and the U.S. Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Also speaking, Mr Sam Kaalu, UNICEF Communication Officer, Bauchi Field Office, said the team was in Jos to prepare ground for the launch of Priority Actions on Ending Violence Against Children.
A new reality show, “The Real Face of an African Child” is about to make its debut in Nigeria. The show is the brainchild of Ambassador Obitex Ngoka, and is geared towards inculcating enduring African values in Nigerian children for a rewarding future. The show had earlier been staged in Dubai last year, while its maiden Nigerian version according to organizers would begin next month in all the six geographical zones of the country. The project is powered by Hope Alive Concept.
At a press briefing held in Lagos on Tuesday, Ngoka explained that “the African child is a peculiar child faced with cultural, social and economic challenges, often stigmatized, yet budding with gifts and talents and need to be given the right opportunities to shine because the Africa tomorrow will inherit the children of today.
“The project was created to bring attention to ( the plight of) children all around Africa, who suffer from exploitation, violence, and discrimination, thus breaking the cycle of disadvantaged children and the ugly image and perception surrounding the African child.”
Ngoka added: “The maiden edition took place on December 26, 2015, at the Metropolitan Palace Hotel, Dubai, while an eight-year-old girl, Miss Jessica Obalu emerged as winner.”
A brand new car and scholarship from elementary school to university awaits the winner of the show. The first and second runners up will also be rewarded with the sum of N1 million and 500,000 including scholarship from primary school to university respectively.
My dream job is to be a lawyer in either a private or a government firm.
A lawyer is an advocate who represents one of the opposing parties in a criminal or civil trial. They also serve as an advisor to counsel clients on legal rights and suggest courses of action.
However, being a lawyer takes hard work, dedication and many years in Law school, so I am prepared to study hard.
Furthermore as a lawyer, I can practice in Law courts, like; Supreme Court, High Court, or Magistrate Court.
In conclusion, I want to be a lawyer so that I can always help people and defend them.
Estherpearl Akin (Pry 3)
My dream job is to be a big visual artist.
A visual artist draws, make paintings and sculptures.
Artists bring joy and wealth to men and women all over the world. When an artist makes a work of art, people are happy see it and interprete it, and works of art also increase in value, so that collectors can also re sell them.
A person that will become a visual artist must have natural talents in drawing and colouring and must be able to observe things.
I dream of painting portraits and making beautiful designs and pictures that will make people happy and make me very rich. That is why I do a lot of drawings and make things with paper.
I know one day I will be a great artist like Bruce Onabrakpeya and Olu Amoda and I will be famous.
Victoria Agumagu (Pry 1)
A dream job is an occupation one desires to do in future to earn a living. M y dream job is to become a pharmacist.
A pharmacist is someone who provides advice on healthcare and how to use medicines correctly. He or she is also known as a chemist.
To be a pharmacist needs hard work and this means I have to study hard at every stage and remain focused.
I dream of working in a big government hospital, having a wide knowledge about drugs and helping people with their health.
Jasminejoy Akin (Pry 2)
When I grow up, I dream of becoming a Pediatrician. A pediatrician is a doctor that treats illnesses in children.
To become a pediatrician, one must love children, be gentle and kind and also to be a doctor one must not be afraid to see wounds and diseases.
I want to be a pediatrician because I hate to see children in pain or sick with diseases.
I plan to study medicine in the university and get more training in John Hopkins Hospital because I want to be like like Ben Carson in Nigeria to help children get better.
Modeniola Adelekan (Pry 2)
A newscaster present News stories to television, internet or radio audiences on topics related to local and national current events, sports
In order to become a Newscaster, the right education is needed. A degree in Journalism or Mass Communication. These will provide the right training and education necessary to work in this field.
I want to be a Newscaster because I like honesty and I want to make Nigeria great by telling the truth at all times.
Tomilayo Kayode-Onifade (Pry 1)
My dream job is to be a pilot. A pilot is a person who flies any type of aircraft which could either be privately owned, government owned or military owned.
I will become a pilot by performing well in my science subjects and I am not afraid of high places.
I want to be a pilot because it will be fun to fly an airplane and also to help people get safely to their destinations.
Many children in Nigeria are suffering from sickle cell anaemia (SCA), says the chairman, Sickle Cell Foundation Nigeria (SCFN), Prof Olu Akinyanju.
This, he said, was due to the country’s large population, adding that over 80 per cent of children living with the condition are born in Africa.
Akinyanju spoke while receiving from Dufill Prima Foods Plc a cheque and some Indomie noodles donated to the foundation, said access to affordable treatment would reduce the crisis experienced by children in the early phase of their lives.
Akinyanju called on individuals and corporate bodies to support the centre.
Director SCFN, Mrs Ayo Otaigbe said SCA is a huge burden that requires a lot of support.
She said Sickle-cell disease (SCD) is a genetic blood disorder that affects the haemoglobin within the red blood cells.
“The recurrent pain and complications caused by the disease can interfere with many aspects of the patient’s life, including education, employment and psychosocial development.
”Sickle cell disorder is by far the commonest inherited disorder in the world and three quarters of cases occur in Africa. In Nigeria, where it affects two out of every hundred children born, it causes suffering for innumerable patients and their families,” she said.
She said SCD is a very complex condition, which requires huge amount and research to improve the lives of those living with this condition.
Public Relations Manager, Dufil Prima Foods Plc, Mr Tope Ashiwaju, said the donation was part of the company’s corporate social responsibility (CSR).
Ashiwaju poor funding of the health sector, especially in the area of research and provision of drugs and equipment was the rationale behind the company’s donation to the foundation.
Many children are said to be lacking micro and macro nutrients.
A Professor of Paediatrics, University of Calabar, Emmanuel E. Ekanem, stated this during the Pharmacists Annual National conference, held in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State
Speaking on The role of trace elements and vitamins in Neuro-cognitive and Immunological development in childhood.
Ekanem said almost half of the children in Nigeria have one form of macro or micronutrient deficiencies. “There are certain nutrients we call micro nutrients. These nutrients required in small quantity are very important for the intellectual development of the child and to resist infection.
“The very important ones are Vitamin A, D, Iron, Zinc, Iodine and Vitamin B group, etc. When these things are deficient in the child, the effect will show in the child’s intellectual development and cause poor attention which will make the child not able to concentrate in school.
“People may think that the child is a naughty child but the child may just be deficient in iron. The same goes for a number of other nutrients like zinc required for intellectual development and the child’s immune system.
“So, the child must be replete or must be supplied with these nutrients very early in life. Breast milk will always be the best to supply nutrients in the first six months of life but we must add these nutrients to the other feeds of the child as the child grows up.
“The first two years of life are critically important. But if you miss that window period, the intellectual deficiency will continue into its adolescence and adult life. Therefore, we need as recommended by World Health Organisation, micro nutrients and vitamin mixes that will supply the Nigerian child these micro nutrients in adequate quantity.”
Prof Ekanem noted that an indigenous multivitamin- Reload, has met the standard of World Health Organisation and that is comforting, that parents and healthcare givers can use to address the problem.
According to Prof Ekanem, the most notable thing about Reload Multivitamin Syrup is that it meets the World Health Organisation (WHO) criteria for micro-nutrients and vitamin mixes, for optimum intellectual and neurological development of the child. The new infant multivitamin drop and syrup are formulated with an enriching taste to reduce the possibility of nutritional deficiency in kids.
According to the Chief Operating Officer, Pharmacy Plus Limited, Obi Chukwuemeka, the Reload Liquid Range comes in three ranges: Reload Tonic which helps recuperating children as well as the Reload Kidz Syrup and Reload Infant Drops that have been formulated to enhance a healthy diet and help ensure that kids get the nutrition they need every day.
He said: “Nutrients play a crucial role in helping children live and grow healthy. It is often difficult for them to get all the nutrition they need through diet alone. Likewise, it can be challenging to find a multivitamin that tastes good enough for them to take every day.
“Reload Tonic, Reload Kidz syrup and Reload Infant Drops are tasty liquid multivitamin supplements that kids like to take. Because they are liquid, these supplements are quickly and easily absorbed by the body, greatly reducing the likelihood of nutritional deficiency.”
Victims of domestic and child abuse can now speak out and be sure of support.
The Police gave this assurance at a conference on safeguarding Nigerian Children With theme; Building a Child Protection System fit for 21 century, organized by Africans Unite Against Child Abuse ( AFRUCA) and Centre For Children’s Health and Education and Orientation and Protection (CEE-Hope) held in Lagos.
A police representative CPS Monday Agbonika said the police is presently partnering with Ford Foundation, medical experts, psychologist and counselors under Family Unit Initiative to ensure better support for victims of child abuse and domestic violence.
Aware of the fear of stigmatization by victims, Agbonika said the unit of the police though carved out from the police station, provides privacy and keep cases confidential.
According to him, police officials are cut off from victims dealing with only reports with coded with no trace of personal details.
To help victims mentally, the office is comfortably furnished with provision for juvenile offenders. The facilities for the modern police project section addressing grassroot policing are said to be available in Adeniji, Ilupeju,and Isokoko.
Agbonika stressed the need for parents to teach their children sex education early and implored the public to always report any criminal act to the police without fear or believe that laws are not being enforced in Nigeria.
Meanwhile Dr Josephine Effah- Chukwuma, Executive director Project Alert, also emphasized the importance of parents teaching sexual education at an early stage knowing that 69 percent of victims of sexual abuse are children and the act is done by people they are familiar with and trust most.
She said parent should double their efforts in raising their children and teach them what they need to know because of the advancement in technology.
Chukwuma challenged the authorities responsible for child care organizations and relevant service providers to ensure strict adherence to policies guiding their operations.
She added that schools and child care organizations and even parents should teach their children self defense, ensure that employees are screened and certified fit
Modupe Debbie Ariyo Obe, founder and chief executive director of AFRUCA, a United Kingdom registered charity promoting the rights and welfare of African Children in United Kingdom, noted the impact of insurgency on school children and the need to safeguard schools.
According to her many children have been orphaned, families obliterated, homes destroyed and communities wiped out.
She added that parents have either been hurt or harmed, leading to inability to work while community economic activity are affected.
Other highlighted impact included reduction of family income generation, children living on the streets, closure of school and disruption of education.
Due to Boko Haram’s focus on schools, Ariyo Obe advocated for urgent training of all education workers across the country on terrorism to focus on how it can affect them, how to detect signs and what to do to keep schools and children safe.
