Education Stakeholders Applaud UNICEF For Impactful Interventions In Adamawa 

BY ADEYEMI AKANJI, BAUCHI – Stakeholders in the education sector in Adamawa state have commended the United Nation Children Fund (UNICEF), for its continuous support and interventions in the sector which has led to improve living standards of children over the years.

The applauds were given by teachers and school children during a recent field visit by a team of UNICEF officials and Journalists from the Bauchi Field Office to some schools in Jada and Guyuk Local Government Areas of the Adamawa State.

The visit was to observe the impact of the training to curb the incidences of stigmatization, non-attendance of school, non-adherence to hygiene during menstrual periods and other harmful practices.

The training for the stakeholders which was funded by the Netherlands Directorate-General for International Cooperation Accelerated Sanitation and Water for All programme ll (DGIS-ASWA II) in conjunction with UNICEF, witnessed the participation of teachers and school children that were trained on the need to adhere to best practices, especially personal hygiene of female school children relating to menstruation during school hours and even at home in the state.

One of the outcomes of the training was perceptions on the primitive and negative beliefs on menstruation by females in the society that was changed as it was discussed openly as against past approach.

One of the beneficiaries of the training, Musa Umar, who is the head teacher of a School, noted that the contributions of the partners, especially UNICEF can never be over emphasised, adding that what used to be in the dark has been brought to the daylight courtesy of the training as issues surrounding menstruation were freely tabled and discussed in the open.

Umar commended UNICEF for equipping the school with a borehole and modern toilet facilities for boys and girls, noting that the development has improved learning atmosphere in the school.

Also speaking, the WASH Coordinator of Jada Local Government Area, Obadia David, said that no fewer than 60 children between the ages of 13 and 17 across 20 schools in the area have been impacted thus, urged other well-meaning individuals and organizations to complement the good gesture.

In her own testimony, a student, Aisha Sulaiman said that the knowledge impacted on them will go a long way in changing the narrative without fear of repercussions.