Nigerian students yesterday joined in the agenda-setting process for the incoming administration, urging the president-elect, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to ensure adequate security, quality and inclusive education.
Also in the list of expectations they tabled before the next government are constant power supply, and strategies that would curb hunger and make Nigeria a better place in his policies.
Majority of Nigerian children, some living on the streets, are faced with the problems deprivation, drug abuse, human trafficking, rape, violence poverty and many other social vices.
A cross section of students who spoke with our correspondents nationwide appealed to Tinubu to tackle insecurity, especially in schools, and create an enabling environment for displaced students to return to school.
The school children lamented that most of them now study in an atmosphere of fear and uncertainty, causing them psychological trauma because of the fear of the unknown.
The students who spoke about their expectations from the incoming government as part of activities to commemorate this year’s Children’s Day celebrations also charged Tinubu to, as a matter of urgency, reengineer Nigeria, particularly in the area of hunger, which they said seriously biting across the country.
Seeking protection for children and a better society, they also implored the federal government to sustain the national school feeding programme to enhance basic education and agricultural development.
In separate interviews with LEADERSHIP Weekend, the students also urged the incoming administration to address headlong issues that prevent children from going to school, resulting in over 20 million out-of-school children.
In Abuja, some school children who spoke with our correspondent appealed to the administration to address the rising cases of kidnapping of school children and keep them safe as future leaders of Nigeria.
A student of Government Secondary Garki, Abuja, Emmanuel Pamela, said the first challenge she would want the government to attend to is insecurity.
Pamela said, “I’m sure everybody wants a Nigeria that’s working, where there is peace and order.
“I want the next government to ensure that all children are in school and ensure security for the children.”
She also emphasised the need to address the burden of out-of-school children that is giving the country a bad name.
Also, Elem Joyclare Kasarachi of GSS Garki, Abuja, congratulated the president elect, Tinubu, urging him to look into insecurity, bribery, corruption and the number out-of-school children everywhere in the country.
“He should create the awareness or initiative to help enlighten the people so that Nigeria can become a better place,” she said.
For Wilson Miracle, a student of Christ Academy International, security of lives and property should be prioritized
“I want them to put proper security in place. Let there be street light because in some places where there are no street light people can’t see their way home and crimes like arm robbery may occur
“I also want them to put security in charge of different places and locations so that Nigeria will be a better nation.
Also, a student of Derique Redeemers Private School, Karu, Abuja, Ehizo Christopher, urged the incoming administration to help the country become a better place for people to live in.
“I want them to help those in need and to help out with power supply, especially in the rural areas,” he said.
Annabel of Noble Height Academy said the new administration should provide security and find a solution to the hunger ravaging the country.
“The most fact is that there is a hunger issue in some states. So I want them to provide states with food. There are many people on the street asking for food and money; they should address that.
“I also want them to provide security in some settings because there have been a lot of kidnappings and stories like that.
“Also, in the schools, they should provide security for the children; they should get better teachers to hold children so that they don’t go out of the gate for someone to carry them,’ she added.
In Kaduna, a cross section of primary and secondary school students who spoke on their expectations from the incoming administration had similar expectations.
While those in primary schools desire the incoming administration to give priority to education, establishment of recreational facilities in strategic locations in town and, where possible, in their schools alongside provision of free learning materials, those in secondary schools want fees reduced, learning materials provided for free and adequate security provided in schools to prevent issues of kidnapping among.
Samuel Majiyebo, a seven-year-old primary two pupil at a private school, said, “I want government to provide swings and plenty of toys in my school for us to play with during our break time. I also want the government to provide crayons, colours and drawing books and other books for free for us to use in our school” he said.
On her part, Maimuna Alkali, an eight-year-old public school pupil in primary four who could hardly express herself in English, simply said, “We want the government to continue with the feeding programme and give us exercise books and pencils including school uniforms”.
Those in secondary schools tasked the government to provide security in both private and public schools, just as they demanded provision of learning materials, payment of NECO and WAEC fees and making education tablets available and for free to all.
Esther Gabriel in Junior Secondary School (JSS) 2 said she was expecting the next administration to provide more security in schools.
“We get worried every now and then when we hear news of kidnapping of students from their schools, particularly those in boarding schools. Government should also help reduce our school fees because the hardship makes it very difficult most times for our parents. The government should also help us with more learning materials,” she said.
For Aliyu Suleiman, an SS 3 student in a public school, the next administration should see to it that the current hardship affecting education is addressed holistically
“People are suffering. We pray that the next government will make things better for everybody, including us, the students,” he said.
In Rivers, primary and secondary schools students called on the incoming administration to improve on the education sector and reduce the prices of food items in the market.
They also said they expect the incoming government to reduce the cost of transportation, expressing believe that it will impact positively on the poor masses.
Speaking with LEADERSHIP Weekend in Port Harcourt, a student of Sure Foundation Group of Schools, Diobu, Port Harcourt, Isioma Wogu, said, “My expectations from the incoming administration is the improvement of the education system.
“Schools should be well-equipped to enable students to practice what they are taught in the classes. Government should organise regular seminars and workshops for teachers who will in turn impact such knowledge on students.”
Also speaking with our correspondent, another student of Sure Foundation Group of Schools, Stephen Goodnews said, “My expectation from the incoming administration is that they should provide facilities and equipment such as books to enable learning activities in schools.”
On his part, a senior student of Community Secondary School, Borokiri, Port Harcourt, Tutumeni Micah, said, “I expect the new government to reduce the cost of transportation. If they can reduce the cost of transportation, it will go a long way to help our poor parents.”
Speaking with LEADERSHIP Weekend, a student of Somina Educational Centre, Diobu, Port Harcourt, Olafunke Ogunkayode, said, “I want the incoming government to provide good schools for us.
“The cost of rice in the market is too high, the incoming government should reduce the cost of rice and other food items sold in the market. How can we buy garri at N1,500? Before, we used to buy garri at N500. They should provide us with good food and good roads.”
Also speaking with LEADERSHIP Weekend, another student of Somina Educational Centre, Diobu, Port Harcourt, Royal Kayode, said, “I want the government to open borders so that everything will be cheap in the market. I want the new government to improve the educational sector.
“I want the new government to provide good roads, food and equip schools in the country, and also help the poor and less privileged so that they will have hope in life again. Let the new government go to hospitals and help people. Nigerians have suffered a lot.
“I want the government to help us; even ordinary books are costly in the market. Only one book is sold at N500 now. I want the government to provide jobs for people that are looking for jobs because people go stealing because they don’t have jobs. People go to school, get certificates but they don’t have jobs.”
Also, students from different schools in Lagos tasked the incoming government to make education a priority in the country and states.
One of the students, Praise Adeyemi, asked the president elect, Asiwaju Ahmed Tinubu, to improve standard of living in the country.
The Faith Academy SS1 student said since society does not give the girl child much say, the incoming government should help give a voice to the empowerment of the girl child.
She added that the Tinubu administration should have more females in the cabinet by improving female participation and involvement in politics.
This, she said, would help mprove the living standard in the country.
“I want a change in the improvement of life and the fate of girl children. When properties are shared in some tribes, most females do not have right to properties; this should change, and I want the new president and his wife to help champion that.
“I also want to see more women as ministers and in government positions. This will make more women to participate in politics and this will yield fruits to national economy, as women can be better managers,” says Miss Adeyemi
Arica Okumbor from Daffodils International School urged the incoming government to make the children happy on Children’s Day and provide electricity.
The eight-year-old asked the new government to provide security to avoid attacks on people in their homes.
Okumbor said, “I want the Tinubu government to make us happy by going to places to have fun. We want (constant) electricity and security for everybody. I want the government to provide good homes and an environment for us so we can have parks to play with our friends. I want the government to create more schools.”
Kehinde Adedayo, an SS3 Student of Ketu Grammar School in Lagos, beckoned on the incoming government to make basic education more affordable to everyone at the grassroots.
Adedayo urged both the state and federal government to support students who have poor parents in areas of scholarship grants.
He said this will encourage secondary students to have courage to further their education and add value to the development of the nation.
He added that the incoming government should provide security for families everywhere in the country and create a better environment for business to thrive.
“One thing I want the new government to do for us and make us happy is to provide scholarship schemes for poor students. It is not easy for me to excel in my exams without textbooks and peace of mind.
“I want the government to invest in Education and security of the country so that we’ll be at peace and be able to travel from place to place. I pray for the Tinubu government to succeed and also for the Sanwo-Olu government in Jesus name,” Adedayo stated.
Also, Isioma Okafor advised the new government to look into the plight of young girls across the country and protect them from evil.
Okafor urged the Tinubu led-government to provide adequate security for all schools nationwide and also get back all the kidnapped girls in captivity, including Leah Sharibu who is still in the custody of terrorists.
“One thing I am asking the new government to do is to protect girls more, as we are easily attacked by intruders. We don’t want to hear about school children being kidnapped again.
“All those that are still in the hands of Boko Haram should be rescued in the first three months of the new government.
“We want peace in the houses, cities and villages. Another thing I desire is for the government to provide constant electricity. This will help everyone and myself to read my books. Let there be light and security,” she said.
Onyeka Emma Ozozie, a primary school student, said he wants the president to make the roads motorable.
“Please the government should help us to provide good roads in the country,” Onyeka said.
On his part, a secondary school student, Adeyemi David, urged the president-elect to improve the educational standard of the country, noting that presently there are no modern facilities and teaching aids in public schools and most private schools.
UNICEF, Pan Seek Greater Investment In Children
Meanwhile, the United Nations Children (UNICEF) and the Paediatric Association of Nigeria (PAN) have called for a greater investment in children as future leaders of tomorrow.
A communication specialist in UNICEF, Mr Geoffrey Njoku, stated this during the 2023 edition of children’s day celebration organised by LEADERSHIP Media Group Ltd.
Njoku who commended the organisation for establishing child friendly initiative, recognising child’s rights and working with the children to achieve their potential, stressed the need for the society to apply the Child right Act laws
He said children have the right to the best health care, clean water to drink, healthy food and a clean and safe environment to live in as well as good education.
“How a society treats its children is an indication of how the society will be in future. So, if Nigeria has 20 million out-of-school children, then Nigeria is heading towards disaster,” he said.
For its part, the Paediatric Association of Nigeria (PAN) called on all and sundry, particularly the government, to invest qualitatively in the lives of children and recommit to reinforcing child protection mechanisms through the passage and domesticating the child’s rights act by all governments in Nigeria.
Prof. Olufemi Ogunrinde, president of Paediatric Association, stated this in a statement issued as part of activities marking the World Children’s day 2023 with the theme, ‘Investing in our future means investing in our children’
According to him, the world has never been as populated with as many children as it is today and that it is focused on climate neutrality and sustainability of the environment for the coming generations without paying enough attention to the immediate care of our children.
He stated: “On this Children’s Day, the Paediatric Association of Nigeria (PAN) reminds the World that investment in space technology, climate change, supersonic missiles, and artificial intelligence is of no use if we do not equally invest in our children.
“As we celebrate the Nigerian child today, we appreciate the efforts of parents, the Nigerian government at all levels, non-governmental organisations, civil society organisations, and the society at large, in working towards the growth and development of the Nigerian child.
“Notwithstanding, the average Nigerian child is still in a precarious situation. They bear the brunt of the economic downturns occasioned by the recent COVID-19 pandemic, civil unrests, natural disasters, insecurity, and mismanagement of our nation’s resources. Consequently, the Nigerian child continues to suffer from a vicious cycle of extreme poverty, inequality, and disease”.
He averred that a significant number of children still remain partially or even non-immunised at all. In addition to the unacceptable numbers of children who die every second in Nigeria, psychosocial effects of social media misuse, child abuse and neglect remain rampant.
“On this special day, we want to especially thank parents (including fathers) for their love, care, and sacrifice. We urge for the continued support of fathers in the care, protection and upbringing of children.
“This investment in our children is the best for our individual and collective future. Investing in children requires multi-stakeholder dialogue as well as an integrated approach, pulling the different policy strands together to address the root-causes of the problems of children.
“We therefore call on all stakeholders to recommit to reinforcing child protection mechanisms through the passage and domestication the child’s rights act by all governments in Nigeria, to facilitate learning for every child (including the girl child) in both formal and informal settings, to reach every child with basic shelter, healthcare including timely immunisation against diseases, clothing, portable water, and nutritious food.
“Specifically, we call on the Nigerian government to as a matter of urgency revive the school health program and utilise it to reach every child with basic nutrition and immunisation for optimal growth and development. Every Nigerian child is an asset, resilient, talented, and with great aspirations for a great future.
“It is, therefore, our responsibility to give every Nigerian child the opportunity to grow into an adult that will be useful to himself and the society. Again, the success of our tomorrow lies in the universal quality health, universal quality basic education, and ending hunger for every child.
“Finally, we want to remind our society that a child belongs to everyone and everybody and no child should be left behind regardless of his/her socio-economic background.”
