Empowering Young Minds: Reaching Out-of-School Project Distributes Learning Materials to Pupils in Kaduna
By:Femi Mustapha
The Reaching Out-of-School Children (ROOSC) project, a Kaduna State Government initiative, has distributed learning materials to learners in Kaduna.
The project aims to provide educational resources to children who lack access to basic learning materials, thereby hindering their academic progress.
Speaking during the presentation at the LGEA Model School Afaka, the State Project Coordinator of ROOSC, Mr. Ezra Angai, said the distribution of learning materials is a crucial aspect of the project, as it enables children to participate fully in their education.
He emphasized the importance of education in empowering young people and promoting national development. Over 500 pupils and students of the school benefited from the initiative, receiving school bags, exercise books, and writing materials.
Mr. Ezra Angai explained that the ROOSC project, which is a Kaduna State Government initiative, has implementing partners such as the Islamic Solidarity Fund for Development (ISFD) and the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development (KFAED), which provide financial support for the construction of new schools and renovation of existing ones, including learning centers. The Global Partnerships for Education (GPE) and Education Above All (EAA) are also providing funding to boost learning outcomes, including enrollment, training, capacity building, and distribution of teaching and learning materials, with the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) coordinating the partnership.
Implementation relating to learning outcomes is being driven by Save the Children International (SCI), which brings technical expertise and community mobilization, while UNICEF is strengthening education systems through capacity-building initiatives.
Mr. Angai thanked Save the Children International, one of the implementing partners, for their effort in encouraging learners by distributing over 35,000 learning materials to learners in nine local government areas where the project is operating.
According to Mr. Angai, the ROOSC project is a vital initiative that is making a significant impact in promoting education and reducing the number of out-of-school children in Kaduna State.
He surmised that with the support of implementing partners and the Kaduna State Government, an estimated 200,000 out-of-school children would have been returned to the classroom after the four-year program.
Mr. Angai added that the project is poised to achieve even greater success in the years to come, with plans to build 102 new schools and renovate 170 existing ones, as well as train teachers to enhance classroom effectiveness.
In his remarks, the Education Coordinator of SCI, Ayuba Usman, said the idea behind the distribution was to improve learners’ learning and at the same time, inculcate the spirit of standard hygiene in them as they look forward to entering junior secondary school.
According to him, the distributed kits contained branded school bags, exercise books, pencils, pens, mathematical sets, crayons, 2-in-1 sharpeners, erasers, and water bottles, as well as bathing soap, washing detergent, toothpaste, plastic buckets, hand sanitizer, drawstring bags, toothbrushes, and other essential items.
The excited Head Teacher of the school, Sani Yusuf, believed that the kits would go a long way in improving the learning environment of his pupils.
“We are happy today because the ROOSC project and SCI have made our pupils happy. This gesture will definitely improve their learning and at the same time boost the morale of our teachers.”
Speaking on behalf of the other excited pupils, a pupil thanked the donating organization for the motivating support, promising to make judicious use of the items for the purpose they were given.
The ROOSC project’s impact extends beyond the provision of learning materials, as it also promotes a culture of learning and encourages children to stay in school. By providing educational resources and support, the project is helping to break the cycle of poverty and illiteracy that has plagued many communities in Kaduna State.
