The United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF) in collaboration with Niger State Government is partnering with the media to begin the back-to-school campaign in the state. Hajiya Hannatu Salihu, the Niger state Commissioner for Education, said this at a one-day dialogue with media chiefs in the state and correspondents in Minna on Tuesday.
Represented by the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Alhaji Abubakar Balarabe, the commissioner acknowledged the critical role of the media in information dissemination.
Salihu said the back-to-school campaign was to improve school enrolment of children, especially in rural communities. “
This campaign ìs aimed at encouraging children who left school as a result of the COVID-19 and insecurity in their communities, to return to school as well as assure them of their safety,” she said.
Also, Mr Francis Elisha, Education Officer, UNICEF Kaduna Field Office, said the media dialogue was to engender collective responsibility and support the back-to-school campaign and school safety in the state.
He said the objective was to share global partnership back-to-school strategy with the media and agree on possible collaboration, support roles, and responsibilities of the media. “
The expected outcome of this is to have a shared understanding of the back-to-school campaign strategy and expected roles of the media” he said. “
The the role of the media in the back-to-school campaign for increased access to basic quality education in the state is necessary and key,” he said. (NAN)
