UNICEF Urges Journalists To Champion Sensitization On Massive Enrollment Of Children In Schools
By Murtala Muhammad
The United Nations Children’s Fund, UNICEF calls on journalists in Bauchi State to educate parents on the importance of enrolling their children in schools especially the girl-child.
UNICEF Country Representative in Nigeria, Ms Cristian Munduate who made the call during a familiarization meeting with journalists, held at UNICEF Bauchi Field office, said when parents are enlightened the number of out of school children would go down.
Ms Cristian Munduate said it was worrisome that the out of school children in Nigeria is about ten million, saying that when children are educated to university level, their chances of getting job was high and would help them support their parents.
She stressed that journalists should be in the fore front to champion the campaign for massive enrollment of school aged children into schools, to pave the way for them to achieve their full potential.
Ms Munduate said the importance of education to individuals, families, communities and the society in general cannot be underestimated in view of the numerous roles it plays in livelihood.
“You all know why education is important because we were all given the opportunity as a child to be educated, and this is why we’re seated here today” she argued.
The UNICEF County Representative in Nigeria also called on Bauchi State government to domesticate Child’s Right Act, CRA to enable the children have unlimited access to all their needs.
On malnutrition issues, Ms Cristian Munduate said UNICEF was committed to support prevention of the condition, through exclusive breastfeeding of babies in first six months, complementary feeding among other things.
The UNICEF Country Representative in Nigeria argued that when babies are exclusively breastfed, their brains develop better than those who were not.
The UN agency pledged sustained partnership with the journalists towards healthy development of the Nigerian child as well as their education.
