By Priscilla Osaje
Abuja: A non-profit organisation, Child Education and Child Support Initiative (CEACSI), has called on government at all levels to support indigent children to gain access to free and quality education.
The founder of the organisation, Mrs Maryam Shehu, gave the advice during a get together, hosted for 80 orphaned and indigent children who are under its scholarship and care in Abuja.
According to her, education is critical to the future of all children, especially those who are orphaned or vulnerable. Education gives children hope for life and work, and government should ensure free and quality education is accessible to all.
Shehu, who said that her organisation had been in operation for 15 years, said it supported orphaned and indigent children with school fees and other educational needs.
“We pay their school charges, kit them with new uniforms and school sandals as well as provide school bags and stationery,’’ CEACSI boss said.
According to her, the CEACSI first child is graduating from university in 2025 with others doing well in their schools.
She added that the initiative had faced challenges of losing some of the children to early marriages or relocation of their guardians out of schools location.
“I believe education is a leveler as it allows non privileged children to compete in the same arena as privileged ones. It is a pathway to take them out of poverty.
“Education not only makes children better citizens, it also draws out creativity and innovative tendencies in them.’’
Speaking of the activities of CEACSI, the founder revealed that the organisation has volunteers, mainly university students, who dedicate their time during holidays to teach and teach some indigents in identified secondary schools especially in STEM.
She said “The children we cater for are our children too and are also children of the world”.
The Special Adviser to the Minister of Education, Dr Ruquayyat Gurin, expressed her joy at CEACSI’s activities.
She said “What CEACSI is doing is complementing the government’s efforts in providing education. The Honorable Minister, Prof. Tahir Mamman is determined to fulfil President Bola Tinubu’s vision that no child is left behind”.
She expressed the Ministry of Education’s willingness to throw its weight behind credible organisations that were supporting the government to achieve its goals.
A trustee of CEACSI, Adanma Odefa, recalled that Shehu’s quiet effort to help vulnerable children started during her active service years and had obviously grown into an organisation that must be known and supported by all.
She highly commended the founder for keeping it afloat over the years.
“But it is now time to seek help and expand the scope so that more indigents can benefit from the lofty objectives of the Initiative. We have so many children that deserve our support and they cannot get it if we don’t have financial support.
“This project has grown beyond us. These children belong to all of us. We must all pitch in to keep them in school and out of trouble”.
Also speaking at the event, the representative of the Commonwealth Business Women Africa, Hajia Hassana Bala, expressed concern over decline in the standard of education in the country.
“I went to a government owned school as a child. I shared a class with children of expatriates and children of wealthy parents.
“It is regrettable that the standard of education has fallen so far that I am unable to send my own children to government schools. This saddens me a lot as I got a good foundation from the public schools in my time.’’
She commended CEACSI’s initiative and called upon well-meaning Nigerians and organisations to support the initiative to enable more indigent children to benefit from it.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that 80 children drawn from LEA Primary schools in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) had great fun as they danced, won cash prizes in a quiz competition and entertained guests with varied performances.
The schools include LEA Primary School Utako; LEA Primary School Kado; LEA Primary School Sabo Kado; LEA Primary School Daki Biyu; LEA Primary School Wuse Zone One. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)
