500,000 Nigerian children to benefit from UN SDGs programme in Nigeria
- An initiative to teach over 500,000 children in one week about the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) has commenced in Nigeria
- The programme which is regarded as the World's Largest Lesson is part of a global campaign to educate and activate children and young people about the SDGs
- It will also give children both in and out of school he opportunity to take part in a special Nigeria edition of the World's Largest Lesson
Nigeria has joined a global campaign to educate 500,000 children about the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in one week.
Tagged World Largest Lesson, it would be taught by a team of 2,500 youth volunteers and it is expected to unlock in children, a vision for the country they wish to live in by 2030 and a Nigeria that has achieved the SDGs.
As part of the programme's feedback mechanism, children will then be asked what they can do to help make this Nigeria a reality.
Speaking on the programme at a press conference in Abuja on Monday, October 14, the senior special assistant to the president on SDGs, Princess Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire, stated that the initiative will encourage more children back to school.
She said: “The federal government will ensure that the project will not be a one-off, by creating enough classrooms to get the children of school age back to school, as there is no shortcut to education. Investment in our children is not a waste.”
According to her, the government is working to ensure that the Child Rights Law is passed, noting that it is long overdue and will be domesticated for the benefit of young people.
Also speaking at the briefing, deputy director- Education 2030, Mr. Kalu Obasi, assured that the federal ministry of education is working to ensure that the SDGs will be incorporated in the national education curriculum.
On her part, the creator, World Largest Lesson, Alison Bellwood, said that the initiative will educate and activate children and young people for and about the SDGs as they are agents of change.
According to her, when children take part in the SDGs, they feel more empowered to influence the world they live in.
“These lessons, taught by a team of 2500 youth volunteers, is expected to unlock in children a vision for the Nigeria that they wish to live in by 2030 and a Nigeria that has achieved the Sustainable Development Goals. Children will then be asked to consider what they can do to help make this Nigeria a reality,” she said.
Chief executive officer of Connected Development, Hamzat Lawal, on his part, said Nigeria has achieved a lot of strides on the SDGs, saying history is being made in Nigeria as the capacity and knowledge of young people is taking center stage.
He remarked that the success of the World’s Largest Lesson will show that Nigeria is ready even beyond 2030, adding that CODE will support the groups and government to achieve its targets.
While the project has been stimulated and supported by the world's largest lesson, it has been created in Nigeria by three young organisations - The DEAN Initiative, Center for Development Support Initiatives and Teens Can Code.
Meanwhile, the Youth Alive Foundation (YAF) under its Youth Participation Against Corruption (Y-PAC) has launched an initiative tagged SHE campaign.
SHE stands for Sexual Harassment in Higher Education.
Already, YAF and its partners are implementing the SHE campaign in 5 states and 13 tertiary institutions across Nigeria.
Group launches fresh campaign against sexual harassment | Legit TV
Source: Legit.ng
