By: Mayen Etim
KADUNA, North-West, Nigeria – Traditional Rulers in Zuru Local Government Area of Kebbi State, has called for a legislation that will give them implementing powers to the ‘Educate A Child’ (EAC), campaign aimed at increasing enrolments of school children in the state.
The Royal Fathers, who also requested for redistribution of teachers in the LGA, made the call recently in a report at the end of Emirate Level Consultative Forum Enrolment Drive Campaign, meeting held at the Palace of the Emir of Zuru.
According to the report, “the roles of the traditional leaders in education of a child should be given a legal recognition or legislation that will help them and give them more implementing power.
“There is need to do a reposting of teachers on the basis on need drive, some schools have in excess while some have almost nothing.
“We appeal to government officials to redistribute the teachers across the Emirate and accommodation for teachers should be put in consideration any time government wants to put in a structure.”
They charged all traditional rulers and parents to ensure children are enrolled back to school, urging district heads to ensure enrolments drive campaign is replicated in their districts with the village heads.
They called on the State Government to replicate the EAC/UNICEF approach by integrating additional 504 Quranic Schools, even as the state has assured of establishing 48 normadic schools across the state, employed more teachers and construct additional classrooms.
The report also noted that the representative of the Emir of Zuru, Wazirin Zuru made a passionate appeal to all the traditional rulers to be committed in their respective districts in ensuring increase in child enrollment.
He pledged the Emirate’s commitment to the task of making sure large number of Out of School Children are enrolled back to schools through this unique approach of EAC intervention.
The meeting, facilitated by Adults And Non Formal Education, (AANFE) EAC and UNICEF focal person in the LGA, Mallam Abubakar Jentulu, is a deliberate strategy to seek consultation with traditional institution to champion the enrolment drive campaign at their respective emirate.