Experience on Education Ground Truth in Nigeria

Nina shares her personal experience on the findings made during an assessment  of an Internally Displaced Persons Camp (Boko Haram victims) some weeks back.

Nina having a chat with Aisha and her friends

Introduction

On 12 February, Two Global Youth Ambassador from Nigeria Nina Mbah and Charles Ichide visited an Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camp in Area 1, district rural community Garki Abuja, as part of the Civil Society Action Coalitionon Education For All (CSACEFA) team to assess the educational needs of internally displaced children from the activities of the dreaded Boko Haram insurgence.

Findings:

 The educational needs assessment of the children at the IDP Camp showed over 400 out of school children majorly between the ages of 3 to 6. Periodically about 100 of these children are tutored by fellow internally displaced persons in a room facility of an uncompleted building without vital Educational facilities like tables, chairs and WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene) Facilities.

          Of very great interest to Nina who was also part of the needs assessment team   is very brilliant little Aisha an orphan who lost her parents to Boko Haram.  As Nina asks her “how are you?”  She responded with a fading voice “fine” you   can tell that she has little hope for a better future.

Aisha lost her parents to the Boko Haram insurgence 

Reflections:

Charles’ comparison  of his preschool and  primary education experiences  which he still remembers very vividly, to  current pitiable out of school situation  of these children at the IDP camp  popped up questions begging  for answers. Does the Nigerian government recognize education as an intrinsic fundamental human Right which every child deserves?  When will our government recognize that “one educated child is more important than a barrel of crude oil?

 A child learns to read and write from preschool. To Charles the idea of a greater love for mum was sold to him at preschool through a nursery rhyme titled “My mother, who sat and washed my infant head”. The experiences of a formal preschool in shaping a primary education outcome cannot be neglected and should be accorded to every child as the basic foundation of every society.