Abuja – The National Institute for Legislative Studies on Wednesday solicited the collaboration of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in addressing issues of high rate school drop-outs.
The Director-General of the institute, Dr Ladi Hamalar, made the appeal in Abuja when she visited the Managing Director of NAN, Mr Ima Niboro.
Hamalar, who was in company with some directors of the institute, said with NAN, other media houses could be used to solicit public support in getting back some children who were out of school.
She added that the issue of out-of-school children and school drop-outs in the in the country was critical to the institute and had been giving it concern, adding that well-meaning Nigerians had the responsibility of addressing the problem.
“We are not asking for much but we want to see how we can collaborate with the media to mobilise the public and corporate bodies to exercise their social responsibility in this regard.
“What we hope is how the media can solicit public support to sponsor these kids. We can have their names published and ask some good Nigerians to sponsor them in schools,’’ she said.
Hamalar stated that government agencies could also consider the possibility of building more schools in areas where out-of-school children were common.
She also expressed the need for NAN to help the institute to sensitise the public, especially school children on legislature and legislative processes.
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“We are hoping that if we collaborate with the media, starting with quiz competitions on legislature at the secondary school level, younger people will have better understanding of the legislature,’’ she said.
She also urged the agency to sensitise the public, particularly those at the local government level, on the need for them to participate in training programmes.
This, she said, had become necessary because most local government officials were still far behind in terms of legislative understanding.
In his response, Niboro lauded Hamalar for her initiative, especially on child education.
He promised that as the flagship news agency on the African continent, NAN would work with the institute to address the issues she had raised.
Niboro disclosed that NAN was already collaborating with UNESCO on Girl Child Education and would not hesitate to continue such collaboration with the institute.
He added that on his own, he had established a revolving fund to take care of out-of-school children in his home state.
The NAN boss emphasised that education was the greatest legacy a parent could bequeath to his child, and therefore, should not be toyed with.
He, however, said that it was unfortunate that Nigeria had the highest number of out-of-school children, a situation he blamed on act of insurgency in a part of the country.
“It is caused by a combination of factors, particularly the insurgency in the North-East which has led to the closure of many schools in the area.
“I think that the bigger challenge of education in the country is insurgency.
‘’If we are able to tackle it as the president has directed, it will go a long way in reducing the number of out-of-school children,’’ he said.
Niboro expressed happiness that the present government was focused on addressing issues of insurgency and called on Nigerians to support the fight against the menace. (NAN)
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