Lola Cater for the Needy Foundation, an NGO, has urged the Federal Government to provide equitable access to education for children in Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camps in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
Ms Ololade Ogunnubi, the founder, made the call at an event for children from various IDPs camps at the New Kuchingoro IDPs Camp, in Abuja.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the event tagged: “The Education Convergence”, is aimed at bridging the educational gap created by their displacement due to insurgency.
The event was organised in collaboration with the former Emir of Kano, HH Muhammad Sanusi II SDG Challenge, One Million Teachers, LearnXplore, We are Special Foundation.
Others are Broken But Mendable Life Foundation and the Nigerian Flying Disc Association.
Ogunnubi said the event was aimed at providing a platform for the children to reach full potential in their educational pursuit.
She said children were the most vulnerable group and they make up a large percentage of the population of IDPs camps across the country.
According to her, denying them their rights to education will add to the out-of-school children being experienced in the country.
“We have been doing this since 2019 and the first edition was conducted for children in primary and secondary schools in Abuja.
“In 2020, we had a community school outreach in 18 states and in 2021, we did it in Nasarawa State.
“But we decided to bring it to children in IDPs Camps in the FCT because we saw the need for them to be educated on so many issues.
“Aside the classroom education, these children deserve to have other knowledge such as menstrual hygiene, personal health management, negative effects of drugs, alcohol, rape, sexual and gender-based violence,” she said.
Ogunnubi noted that though humanitarian crisis and activities of insurgents had remained the biggest challenge to development of the country, neglecting the children through education would cause more harm than good.
She said that children in IDPs “are smart and intelligent, but need more encouragement and support from government and relevant stakeholders.”
“With this, the country will be able to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030, where everyone will be carried along despite the circumstances they find themselves,” Ogunnubi said.
NAN reports that the event featured quiz competition, talk shows and presentation of awards, books, bags, stationeries, clothes, shoes and food stuffs to the children.