The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has distributed learning materials comprised of branded school bags for 343,942 children and recreational kits for 247,877 Early Childhood Development (ECD) kits for 7,400 children in Adamawa State.
Also, 370 teachers as well as assorted pens, erasers, rulers and sharpeners were given to 129, 281 children schooling in 931 public schools for 2024/2025 academic session across the state.
Joel Jutum, the educational consultant at UNICEF said at the Yola-South venue of the distribution on Thursday that the materials were provided to support UNICEF’s collective mission of reducing the number of out-of-school children, increasing retention, facilitating transitions, and ensuring the completion of education for every child in the benefiting community Jutum said UNICEF in partnership with donors, constructed and renovated classrooms. and installed perimeter fences, toilets, and instructional facilities across 125 schools in the state from 2021 to date, saying “Education is not a privilege but a fundamental right of every child.
He urged the state government and other partners to continue strengthening collaboration to ensure that more children enroll in schools, retain, complete, and transit to the next level.
The Executive Chairman, Adamawa State Universal Basic Education Board (ADSUBEB), Dr Murtala Babayi, said the UNICEF contribution was an investment that seeks to ensure that every child has equitable access to quality education irrespective of gender, ability religion, political and cultural affiliation.