Against the backdrop of challenges posed by the economic hardship ahead of the September schools’ resumption date, an Ogun State-based non-profit organisation (NGO), Jofunmi Loving Heart Foundation, has distributed basic school items to over 350 school children as part of the strategies towards ensuring a hitch-free new academic session.
This is just as the foundation, which spoke against the backdrop of challenges posed by the 18.3 million out-of-school children in Nigeria, also appealed to governments at all levels and well-meaning citizens to accord education the highest priority it deserves to ensure that the number of out-of-school children is greatly reduced.
Project coordinator of the foundation, Olusola Oji spoke with journalists at Libegu Village where they distributed the basic school items to over 350 school children from three communities.
Ojo explained that the, “Back-to-school” intervention programme of her foundation was also part of the strategies for ensuring that children of school age are kept in the classroom and as such, contributing towards reducing the challenges posed by the over 18 million out-of-school children in Nigeria which is contained in the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) report of May, 2024.
Jofunmi Loving Heart Foundation had provided the near 400 pupils and students of secondary schools with school bags, sandals, water bottle, a range of stationaries which included exercise books, rulers, pencil mathematical sets and food flasks and food items running into millions of Naira.
Harping on the rationale behind the programme, Ojo explained that her foundation’s gesture was borne out of the realisation that the economy is currently harsh and people are finding means of livelihood difficult.
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