……Make Education a Priority

A Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), IA Foundation, has appealed to the Ffderal and Lagos State Government (LASG) to prioritise education for economic growth and development.

The NGO said it was ready to partner the LASG on free education.

The founder of the NGO, Mrs Ibironke Adeagbo, made the appeal during the Education Awareness Walk to the Lagos State Government, House of Assembly, on Thursday in Lagos.

Reports says that the walk started from Ikeja under bridge to the House of Assembly with placards and songs.

She appealed to the LASG to increase the budgetary allocation of education in the 2024 budget.

“We want you to sensitise the public more on the importance and significance of child education to make them economically active in future.

“If they don’t have the right education, they won’t be able to get jobs which can result to crime which can increase the security challenges in the country.

“So, we are appealing to you legislators to prioritise education and put the right legislation in place so child illiteracy can be eliminated in the state and country at large,” she said.

She said the foundation would support the government in achieving these goals.

“One of the major key to eradicate insecurity and poverty is education and a lot of finances should go into education particularly for the girl child.

“We are pledging our support to work with the Lagos State Government and please we are proposing that a squad be set up for picking those children that are out of school and putting them back to school.

“We want to partner with you so that we can pick up these kids together and send them to school.

“Lagos State should some day be proud to say that they have taken good number of kids back to school,” Adeagbo
said.

She added that there were currently over 20 million children that were not in school and roaming the streets.

“We want to take these kids and send them back to school because they are the future of this country.

“The government cannot do it alone, so this is why we are raising an awareness to ensure everyone does their beat.

“In Nigeria, education is free up to Junior Secondary School, so, it is the government’s responsibility and it is because of lack of adequate funding, that is why we are in this situation.

“Thankfully, the current regime has plans to increase the budget of education to 25 per cent which means more money will be pumped into education.

“I am hoping that very soon any parent who fail to send their children to school will be penalised,” she said.

She added that IA Foundation had sent over 100 kids back to school, adding that the numbers needed to be reduced, hence the meeting with the government.

“We have children we are sponsoring in nine states already and we plan to reach out to kids in the 36 states of the federation.

“We have a plan to pick up 5,000 children in three years and send them back to school,” she said.

Reacting to their proposal, the Deputy Majority Leader, Hon. Richard Kasumu, appreciated the foundation for their efforts at eradicating illiteracy among children.

Kasumu represented the Speaker, Lagos State House of Assembly, Mr Mudashiru Obasa.

He said that it was great to see an institution of group of people to rise above every standard of excellence.

“We are the representative of the people because we are closer to the people and we try as much to be there for the masses.

“We understand your plight and we appreciate what you are doing for the country and we will continue to encourage things like this,” he said. (NAN)