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…PEFIC distributes textbooks and educational materials to children in 20 public schools
….Ogun education consultant seeks more philanthropic support for underprivileged pupils
Toyyibat Qasim
A professor from Olabisi Onabanjo University, Opeyemi Shoaga, has called on governments, parents, community leaders, philanthropists and other stakeholders to step up efforts to keep children in school and address the challenge of out-of-school children in Nigeria.
Shoaga said access to quality education remains a critical tool in breaking the cycle of poverty and overcoming the social and economic limitations facing disadvantaged children.
The university professor made the appeal while delivering a lecture on the causes and remedies for out-of-school children at the second annual public conference of the Foundation for Promoting Education for Destitute Children (PEFIC) in Abeokuta, Ogun State.
The event, held on Thursday at the Abeokuta Club, involved the distribution of textbooks and other educational materials to 60 indigent children selected from 20 public schools.
Speaking on the topic “The threat of out-of-school children: causes and remedies”, Shoaga highlighted the need for collective action to ensure that every child has access to education, regardless of their parents’ financial circumstances.
He said: “Access to education is a lever for every child. It keeps them out of poverty; it keeps them out of any form of limitation.”
The professor noted that education could provide children from disadvantaged backgrounds with the opportunity to improve their lives and contribute meaningfully to society.
He urged governments at all levels, individuals, communities and stakeholders to work together to ensure that no child is left behind due to poverty or lack of educational opportunities.
Shoaga’s appeal highlights concerns about children struggling to access or remain in formal education, with stakeholders continuing to call for interventions to address financial and social barriers to enrolling and staying in school.
Speaking to journalists at the event, Coordinator and Chairman of the Management Committee of PEFIC, Alhaji Oridota Lateef, said the foundation was established to bridge the educational gap between children whose parents can afford educational materials and those whose families struggle to meet such basic needs.
Lateef explained that the foundation focused on supporting deprived children within the limits of available resources, while raising awareness among the government and other stakeholders of the need to provide assistance to disadvantaged pupils.
He said the organization relies on the connections, goodwill and collective efforts of its team members to mobilize resources for children whose parents cannot afford the materials needed for a quality education.
According to him, the distribution of textbooks and other educational materials is part of the foundation’s efforts to reduce the financial burden on struggling families and improve beneficiaries’ access to learning.
The 60 beneficiaries, from 20 public schools, received the materials as part of the foundation’s intervention to support poor pupils and strengthen their chances of academic success.
Lateef also urged the beneficiaries to remember other less privileged children when they grow up and become financially capable of helping others.
He encouraged them to make effective use of the support and to see it as an opportunity to further their education and, in the future, extend similar assistance to children in difficulty.
Also speaking, the Special Adviser on Education to the Ogun State Governor, Dr. Kiadese Lukmon, who represented the Commissioner for Education, Professor Arigbabu, commended the foundation for supporting indigent pupils with textbooks and other educational materials.
Lukmon said access to textbooks could improve the academic performance of pupils and help improve the quality of education in Ogun State and Nigeria in general.
He called on philanthropists and other well-meaning Nigerians to emulate the foundation by investing in educational support initiatives, especially those targeting children from financially disadvantaged backgrounds.
The special advisor also advised the beneficiaries and their parents to ensure that the donated materials were used appropriately to supplement classroom teaching and improve academic achievement.
He expressed optimism that the foundation will continue to expand its activities and reach more children, including those who were out of school and needed assistance in gaining access to formal education.
PEFIC’s intervention highlighted the role of non-governmental organizations and community-led initiatives in supporting government efforts to expand access to education, particularly for children whose families face financial constraints.
Stakeholders at the event emphasized that continued collaboration between government, communities, parents, private organizations and philanthropists remains essential to ensure that disadvantaged children can enroll in school, stay in school and receive a quality education.
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