Crime & SecurityEducationMALLPAI Calls For A Holistic Approach To Stop Attacks On School Children

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The Mass Literacy for Less Privileged and Almajiris Initiative (MALLPAI) Foundation, an NGO, has called for a holistic approach to stop attacks on school children in Nigeria.

MALLPAI Foundation was established in 2009 with a core focus to revamp mass literacy and empower youths, unskilled women, and girls.

The ILD is celebrated globally on September 8 annually, to explore how literacy can contribute to building a solid foundation for a human-centered recovery, with a focus on the interplay of literacy and digital skills

The theme for this year is “Literacy for a human-centered recovery: Narrowing the digital divide”.

Hajiya Aisha Bagudu, the Wife of Kebbi State Governor and initiator of the Foundation, made the call on the side-lines of activities to mark this year’s International Literacy Day (ILD) on Monday in Abuja.

Bagudu, while briefing Journalists at the event, said such an approach would boost sustainable literacy in the country.

According to her, no mother loves to see her child go through the pains of missing school while pondering if child abductors have the heart to allow their own children to experience such.

“This is sad and it is what not only the government can handle; the whole community has to come together to help in stopping the menace.”

“The government alone cannot stop this because when they are passing with those children, somebody must have seen them to tell where they passed with them.”

“When you are walking with your own child, you will realise your child gets tired or cries and somebody will even hear the child crying, but everybody is scared to mention.”

“It is important to state that this is what is happening or the kidnappers are here; if we do not join hands to tackle this problem, there is no way it will end.”

“We must not continue to say the government is not doing enough or have to pay ransom and keep quiet, but all must fight this together.”

She noted that the attacks on school children do not just affect their parents directly or indirectly, but also hinder the growth of the nation’s education system.

Bagudu also observed that the COVID-19 crisis had disrupted the learning of children, young people, and adults at an unprecedented scale since Sept. 8, 2020.

She warned against people treating attacks on school children as regional issues.

According to her, an attack can start in any part of the country, therefore, the need for collaboration to stop it.

“It is so sad when considering such a situation about insecurity, poverty; people think we must largely depend on the government to solely tackle myriads of problems in the society.”

“We are all government; we only have leaders, but we need to help each other, educate one child and you have done a lot for that family.”

Bagudu identified lack of funding and getting people to invest in literacy projects as major challenges to education.

“Sometimes, people think because I am the governor’s wife, it is a pet project.”

Bagudu said that her Foundation had concluded plans to carry out an awareness campaign from September 17 to 18, in Abuja, to empower young people, women, and the girl child in the area of skills acquisition.

Hassan Umar Shallpella (Regional Correspondent)

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