2024 International Day of African Child, June 16: An International Crusader against Child Abuse, Dr Eric Oluedo, has praised the Governor of Enugu state, Barr Peter Mbah, for allocating more than 33% 2024 State’s budget on education, and the establishment of 260 Smart Schools in the 260 Wards of Enugu state for the provision of quality affordable, equitable, acceptable and inclusive education systems for Enugu State children.

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2024 International Day of African Child, June 16: An International Crusader for the Rights and Responsibilities of the Child, Dr Eric Oluedo, has praised the Governor of Enugu state, Dr Barr Peter Mbah, for allocating 33% state’s budget to education and the establishment of 260 Smart Schools in the 260 Wards of Enugu state to provide quality affordable, acceptable and inclusive education systems that will empower Nigerian children to thrive and contribute to Africa’s sustainable development.
Speaking on the Theme of 2024 celebration, “Education for all children in Africa: the time is now”, Dr Oluedo thanked Barr Peter Mbah for building a resilient education system that will ensure increased access to inclusive, equitable, lifelong, quality and relevant learning in Enugu State, Nigeria.

Recall that on June 16, 1971, more than 20,000 South African students in the township of Soweto took to the streets — demanding to be taught in their own language. Armed police officers responded by murdering hundreds of protesters. It is now recognized as the International Day of the African Child throughout the world. The day focuses attention on the barriers African children face in order to receive a quality education. It provides an opportunity to reflect on the progress made for children and to highlight the challenges that persist towards ensuring access to quality education for all in Africa. The objective of the commemoration of the Day of African Child is to reaffirm the commitment to quality, inclusive, and equitable education for all African children; raise awareness among policymakers, communities, and stakeholders about education as fundamental human right for African children and a public good to breaking the cycle of poverty, reducing inequalities, and securing a prosperous future for Africa; galvanize political will and encourage governments to allocate adequate resources to education and adopt innovation fiscal policies that will allow the mobilization of additional resources for education; promote collaboration among African Union Member states, civil society organizations, and development partners, around education spending through exchange of best practices, innovative approaches, and technical assistance. Greater collaboration will also promote budget transparency, efficiency, effectiveness, and equity in the allocation of resources; and launch the education finance report, which will facilitate understanding of the trends in financing education in Africa and the challenges to sustainable and predictable financing of education in Africa.

In conclusion, as the Day of the African Child is commemorated, let us pay adequate attention to the need to reflect on education achievements made so far, and the challenges that lie ahead; the need to renew commitments to creating inclusive, equitable, and quality education systems; and the need to ensure that no child is left behind, regardless of their socio-economic background, gender, or geographical location. By working together, the transformative power of education can be unlocked, and a brighter future for every African child can be ensured.

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