NGO provides education support to camerounian refugees, host communities in Cross River

Save the Children International, a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) says it is providing basic education and child protection support to Camerounian refugees and their host communities in some parts of Cross River State.

Mrs Oluseyi Abejide, Field Operations Manager of the organization disclosed this while on a courtesy visit to the Executive Chairman of Cross River State Universal Basic Education Board (CR-SUBEB), Dr Stephen Odey in Calabar.

She said the initiative was part of the mandate of the Organization through its Integrated Emergency Response Programme for Cameroonian Children and host Communities in the State.

The field manager said the visit was to intimate the board on some of the organization’s achievements in the State as well as solicit the board’s support for future projects.

“Due to the high influx of refugees from Cameroon to some communities in Cross River, school facilities in these communities are overburdened and teachers overstretched.

“So, we are supporting the State Government in addressing this challenge by injecting teachers into the system, ” she said.

Abejide said that as part of the Save the Children strategy to empower children to know their rights and aspire to be more, the Organization hopes to revive the Children Parliament in the State.

Also speaking the Programme Manager, Mr Peter Fujuno said that the organization in 2020 introduced a radio programme where children were engaged throughout the period schools were closed because of covid-19.

“On March 1, 2022, we will be unveiling another programme for young children which is a catch-up programme targeting low performing children.

“Remedial classes will be held after school hours and refreshments will be provided for the children.

“These children will be supported to acquire additional knowledge so that they can become at par with their peers, ” he said.

Fujuno stated further that 60 teachers to cover about 25 schools and an additional 30 teachers for Early Child Care Development (ECCD) for children that are younger will be trained and injected into the system.

“We are also going to be developing their capacity; within the following weeks, we are going to be training both government teachers and those we are injecting into the system.

“We will build their capacity on how to deliver quality lessons to children and also provide teaching and learning materials to some of these schools, ” he said.

Responding, Odey commended the organization for its achievements in the basic education sector, especially in the hard to reach areas.

Odey, who was represented by the Secretary of the board, Mr Cyril Itam identified the shortage of teachers as one of the challenges faced by the board.

“As a State, there’s a lot the Governor Ben Ayade led administration has done in the basic education sector from the construction of classroom blocks, to supply of furniture and teaching and learning materials.

“We have employed over 3,000 teachers between now and 2015 but there’s a lot more that we can do and we will do.

“We will continue to partner with you for the betterment of Cross River children, ” he said.