President Muhammadu Buhari says in dealing with the threat posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Federal Government cannot allow education and learning to take the back seat. He decried that the pandemic had forced school-age children to continue education and learning online as well as through the electronic media.
He said this yesterday while joining the international community to celebrate the Day of the African Child. Buhari, in a statement by his spokesman, Femi Adesina, said his administration would continue to ensure that every Nigerian child has access to quality and affordable education by promoting free and compulsory basic education for the first nine years of schooling.
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He said this year’s commemorative activities with the theme, “Access to a Child-Friendly Justice System in Africa” had moved online due to the global pandemic. Noting that not all children have access to the tools and resources to do this, he said the priority of the Federal Government was to ensure that things get back to normal as soon as possible.
Buhari also said the safety of every Nigerian child remained paramount to his administration. He said his government would continue to do all within its means to protect children from violence and abuse. He promised his government’s commitment to protecting children from sexual violence, domestic abuse and exploitation.
He expressed concern on the recent spate of sexual and physical violence on the girl-child and directed relevant government agencies to scale up support for victims of violence and ensure that those who have infringed on their rights face the full weight of our laws. According to him, it is the right of every Nigerian child to be protected from sexual or physical violence and abuse, and to enjoy an environment conducive for learning and development.
