NGO Donates To 9 Communities In Kaduna State To Compliment State Of Emergency On Education
Yakubu Busari
An NGO under the aegis Fantsuam Foundation in partnership with ICEHA-US and Intellect Services – UK, has donated gift items worth thousands of naira to nine communities in Kaura local government area of Kaduna State that were affected and displaced by attacks of Fulani herdsmen.
The State Commissioner for Education who was represented by the Kafanchan Zonal Director of Education, Mrs. Jummai Aba, confirmed the Kaduna State Government’s approval of the efforts of Fantsuam Foundation to compliment the efforts of the Kaduna State Government’s in its declaration of State of Emergency in Education.
The Commissioner said the request by the teachers for the deployment of ICT in the schools was already receiving attention with the recent employment of computer graduates and purchase of over 2,600 tablets for the students.
The Participants at the Elemson workshop had requested that the Government should provide tablets pre-loaded with relevant software for senior secondary school students. Such tablet, nick-named DARAN ILIMI or WISDOM TABLET should be made available to all schools in the State.
Fantsuam Foundation offered to support the Government to provide open access wireless internet access for schools where such tablets are deployed in the State.
The Continuing Professional Development (CPD) for Teachers consultant, Joyce Elemson, presented gift items from school children from ICEHA-US and Intellect Services – UK to cushion the effect of the attacks on the nine schools and communities at U/Gata, U/Kura, Akuku and U/Sankwai from Moroa chiefdom Ungwa Ashe, Tangang, Telak, Sangang, and Zilan from Attakar chiefdom.
Elemson who teaches at Lewisham College, London, provided a session of CPD for the internally displaced teachers from the affected communities. She took them through the basics of CPD, aimed at raising their awareness on the need for regular skills and knowledge update in the teaching profession.
She said that her desire is for the Kaduna State Government to incorporate Continuing Professional Development in the academic calendar for teachers so that they can regularly be supported and be updated in pedagogical practice.
Speaking at the ceremony, the Kaduna State Commissioner for Education, represented by the Zonal Director, Kafanchan Zonal Office, Mrs. Jummai. L. Aba, commended Fantsuam Foundation, Intellect Services-UK and ICEHA-USA for the gesture in providing gifts and a taste of CPD for the internally displaced teachers as well as bringing learning more practical in teaching profession.
Mrs. Aba promised to relay her positive impression about the workshop back to the Commissioner, and expressed hope that Elemson will be available when the State Government invites her for a more detailed and wider provision of CPD throughout Kaduna State.She assured the participants of the State Government’s commitment to raise the standard of education in public schools.
She also promised to inform the Commissioner of Fantsuam Foundation’s readiness and capabilities in providing ICT services for the remote and rural schools in the State.
The Commissioner informed the audience of the State Government’s commitment to provide tablets to secondary school students across the state.
The participants requested for DARAN ILIMI or Wisdom Tablet that has specific educational software installed in an area she said the State Government will consider.
In her remarks, the Chief Executive Officer of the Foundation, Kazanka Comfort said the event was organized to support the State Government’s declaration of state of emergency in the education sector. She said this workshop needed to focus specifically on the needs of internally displaced teachers and their pupils in the nine communities of southern Kaduna.
She observed that even basic trauma counselling services is yet to be provided for these communities and promised that Fantsuam Foundation and Gawon Foundation were ready to support the State Government in this effort. She said this program is building on the ongoing ESSPIN efforts of the Kaduna State SUBEB and SBMCs which the two Foundations have been serving.
Responding on behalf of the teachers and pupils of beneficiary communities, the Social Mobilization Officer of Kaura Local Government Education authority, Yakubu .M. Kajang expressed appreciation of Fantsuam Foundation’s effort of upskilling rural teachers professionalism to enable them to cope with the challenges and improvement of modern education.
