By Joyce Remi-Babayeju
The United Nations Children’s Fund UNICEF, has empowered Polytechnic lectures from across the states on effective Child Rights reporting.
UNICEF Communication Specialist Dr. Geoffrey Njoku at the a 2 Day UNICEF training of Trainers Trainers, TOT, on Child Rights Curriculum for Polytechnic in Kano on Thursday said that the training of lecturers from some Polytechnics is to share ideas on how to better equip them to teach their students on how to effectively report Child Rights violations.
“UNICEF wants to empower the lecturers to be able to teach the Child Rights course effectively. ”
Njoku stated that the journey on how to actualize report Child Rights properly at the Polytechnic level started three years ago.
He said,” this is what we started about three years ago, including Child Rights reporting as part of the training of mass communication students in the Universities and Polytechnics so this is the last of the training .”
The empowerment is for the lectures taking the course in the Polytechnic. The course is Child Rights which had been in the Universities since a couple of years ago but it is now introduced in the Polytechnic, he explained.
Njoku emphasized that the curriculum for the Child Rights Curriculum project had been in progress in collaboration with the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) and the Executive Secretaries (ES) of Polytechnics.
The training aimed to generate ideas and foster collaboration among lecturers, ensuring that child rights issues are well-understood and effectively taught. The outcome of the training is expected to equip a team of highly skilled and knowledgeable lecturers who will commence teaching the child rights curriculum in September, he stated.
He further emphasized that the ultimate goal of the TOT is to ensure that lecturers are empowered with the techniques and knowledge required to effectively teach their students effective reporting on child rights issues in their respective institutions.
An independent consultant, Noel Ihebuzor noted that children are a blessing from God so they need to be loved and guided.
He stressed that the issue of Child Rights is to protect children from hardship, child labour and related violations.
Ihebuzor said that the TOT for lecturers is to ensure that graduates from the Polytechnics acquire skills on evidence gathering , reporting and prioritizing Child Rights and being sensitive to recognize what are Child Rights when they come across such.
He decried the countless instances of neglect and abuse to undermine the development and well-being of children, exposing them to tremendous harm.
Ihebuzor stated that journalists have failed to prioritize reporting on these violations as a matter of primary importance.
“Without proper reporting, these issues remain hidden, denying children the support they desperately need.”
“Children who are deprived of education, suffer from malnutrition, are wrongfully accused of witchcraft, confined within their homes, or forced into domestic labor are just a few examples of the countless violations they endure. These instances directly infringe upon the fundamental rights that every child should enjoy.”
He also lamented that majority children’s rights violations are unreported resulting in lack of serious attention and action from both the general public and authorities.
A Polytechnic Lecturer, Dr.Jide Johnson who spoke on ” Child Rights” reporting said that
Children have needs just like the parents, but the question is, are the needs of your children being met, either at the local, state or federal level. Children of the world are innocent, vulnerable and independent.
Dr. Johnson listed the rights of children which includes right of justice and peace in the right proportion, protection against harmful exploitation and traditional practices such as early marriage and female genital mutilation.
In light of the various Child Right violations, he emphasized the need to mainstream Child Right at both the National Diploma and Higher Diploma levels curriculum.
Mallam Musa Isgogo, from the National Board of Technical Education, NBTE, commended UNICEF for giving Polytechnic Lecturers the opportunity to learn what they are missing in unbundling of Mass Communication in the Polytechnics.
According to Isgogo, some courses on Child Rights would be included in Mass Communication curriculum promising that the goal is to make every student an advocate, defender and voice of children and women.
Daybreak reports that the 2 days Train the Trainers, TOT on Child Rights Curriculum for Polytechnics was organized by the The Child Rights Information Bureau , CRIB, of the Federal Ministry of Information and Culture and the National Board for Technical Education, NBTE, in collaboration with UNICEF.
