displaced-persons , Flood: IDP children return to school

displaced-persons
 Flood: IDP children return to school
October 26, 2015   National
Hundreds of children of internally displaced persons (IDPS) in Benue have returned to the classroom as the Benue State Universal Basic Education (SUBEB), in collaboration with UNICEF through the State Ministry of Education set up temporary classes for them at the IDP camps in Makurdi.
When our correspondent visited the camp sites, some of the pupils including Terso Iorhemba, Helen Adakole and Member Adikpo who were seen in different classes listening to their teachers at the Makurdi International Market camp site expressed happiness that after missing school for weeks, they could sit in a school setting to learn and be at par with their classmates who were not displaced.
“Since we came into this camp after we were displaced by flood from our home, I have been thinking of when I would have the opportunity to return to school because my school is very far from the camp. I am happy that education has now been brought to our doorsteps and I am part of the beneficiaries,”said Terso.
Mr. James Iorfar, UNICEF Desk Officer and a Deputy Director of pre-primary education with SUBEB said that the measure was part of UNICEF’s effort to ensure that children in the IDPs camps continued with their education as if they were in their normal classes.
He disclosed further that about 557 children in the international market and Wadata IDPs camps had been enrolled for the programme even as he added that more children were still coming for enrollment for the programme at the time while five volunteer teachers had also been engaged to teach them.
Iorfa noted that as part of its social responsibility to the society, UNICEF provided instructional materials such as chalk boards, text books, exercise books, pencils, pen and other educational materials for the children in both the international market and Wadata camps to help facilitate their learning.
He commended UNICEF for ensuring that children in the IDPs camp continued with learning as if it were in their normal classes as a way of adding value to their lives.
Also speaking, Executive Secretary, State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), Mr. Boniface Ortese commended UNICEF for setting up schools in the camps for displaced children, stressing that the gesture had restored hope in the children as they now see themselves learning again