UNICEF launches Education in Emergency manual in North-east
By Njadvara MUSA, Maiduguri
The United Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has launched the Education in Emergency (EiE) manual for insurgency affected states in Borno, Adamawa and Yobe.
According to the Fund, the EiE is a process of providing access to “quality and equitable education” to children, youths and adults in crisis affected states in the Northeast.
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Launching the manual, yesterday (Tuesday), in Maiduguri, the Borno state capital, the representative of UNICEF, Judith Giwa-Amu disclosed: “This will ensure the right of every child to education continuity in a protective environment with support from relevant sectors.”
She added that emergencies occur as a result of violence, conflict and natural disasters.
Besides, she said that strengthening the education system protects children and youth from attacks, abuse and exploitation.
The manual titled: “Building Resilience in the Education Sector: A training manual for Education in Functionaries and the Supporting Sector,” said that it ensures the rights of every child to education in an emergency are actualized by the UN Convention on the rights of the child.
According to Judith, the EiE manual will adequately cope with and respond to changes that result from the changes to achieve expected outcomes.
Responding, the Borno Commissioner of Education, Lawan Wakilbe commended the initiators of emergency in the education sector.
He said: “if he was part of the initiators of the manual, I will classify the EiE as education under disaster and not emergency.”
He noted that when it exceeds that coping capacity; it becomes a disaster.
Besides, he added that what has befallen the State Government has exceeded the coping capacity of Nigeria to seek help in the education sector, which was destroyed by Boko Haram.
He lamented the over a decade insurgency with the destruction of 5, 000 classrooms to send 1,000,229 children out of schools.
According to him, the 13-year terrorism has displaced two million people from 22 councils with the orphaning of over 56, 000 children and 49, 000 widows,
He said that since May, 2022 to date, 22 mega schools have been built with 60, 30, 40 classroom capacity.
Governor Babagana Zulum has also rehabilitated 39 schools with the building of 435 classrooms in 48 schools and conveniences in over 242 schools across the state.
