4,000 children in IDP camps to acquire skills from Project Educate All

Aid for Rural Education Access Initiative (AREAi), in partnership with the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants, and Internally Displaced Persons (NCFRMI) , recently launched a scheme to equip ni fewer than 4,000 children in eight Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps with vital life and learning skills.

The pilot project is being implemented across eight IDP camps namely: New Kuchingoro, Takuchara, Karamajiji, Wassa, Waru, New Karshi, Malaysian Garden, and Yimutu.

Speaking at the official flag-off of the project tagged, ‘Project Educate All’, the NCFRMI Commissioner, Hajiya Imaam Sulieman-Ibrahim said the engagement has not only provided the much-needed employment in these communities but also to prioritise localisation of interventions and promote the sustainability of the programme.

She maintained that education remained the bedrock of development, peaceful coexistence and pointed out that without education for all, the displaced would lead a very harsh life and existence, one that could also lead to severe social and economic consequences for the nation, particularly for the people of concern (PoCs), IDPs, and host communities.

“We must not forget that education is a fundamental human right, and the right to quality education should not stop because of conflict and displacement, stating that children must be able to go to school, learn in a safe environment, and be given a chance to develop their full potential, whether they live in an IDP camp, a makeshift settlement, a town, or are still on the move.”

With over 52 percent out of 69 million displaced individuals globally who are under 18, she also emphasised that it was imperative for these persons of concern to have access to education since education remains a right enshrined in the Convention on the Rights of Children and a collective responsibility of all stakeholders.

For Executive Director, AREAi, Prince Gideon Olanrewaju, his organisation would drive the facilitation and access to accelerated and informal educational opportunities for IDP, refugee, and migrant children.

“These children will be equipped with relevant skills across four different pathways, namely: Literacy, Numeracy, 21st Century Life Skills, and the Digital Skills Accelerator (DSA) programme for STEM. This initiative is heavily integrated with globally recognised methodologies and digital technology that allows these children experience learning at their teaching levels, as well as the ability to learn in their own mother tongue for enhanced understanding.”