Fifty students from Kataggiya and Jahi 2 communities in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have received scholarships and educational materials through an intervention by the Catherine Ade Foundation in partnership with the Rotary Club of Abuja Minister’s Hill to improve their access to education and reduce school dropout .
During the awards on Monday in Abuja, president of the Rotary Club of Abuja Minister’s Hill, Adams Oyarekhwa, said the intervention was part of Rotary’s commitment to promoting basic education and literacy, one of its seven core areas of focus.
“Basic education and literacy are very important to Rotary. One of the ways we support education is by sponsoring children, providing scholarships, writing materials, and other learning tools they need to stay in school.
“Today, we supported 50 pupils across two communities, 30 in Kataggiya and 20 in Jahi 2. We provided scholarships and educational materials to help them continue their education.
“Our goal is to contribute to a society where every child has access to education.
We want to promote literacy and ensure that children are given the opportunity to learn and achieve their full potential.”
He noted that rising economic hardship has forced many children out of school, making community-based interventions increasingly necessary.
Also, Catherine Ade, Executive Director of the Catherine Ade Foundation, in partnership with the Rotary Club of Abuja Minister’s Hill, raised concerns over the growing number of out-of-school children in Nigeria, noting that many families are struggling to cope with economic hardship.
She said rising living costs have made it increasingly difficult for parents to afford basic education needs, while stressing that both poverty and mindset issues contribute to the challenge.
“A lot has been happening in the country, especially when it comes to out-of-school children. Parents are struggling even to feed their families,” she said.
Ade, whose foundation focuses on women, children, and education, explained that her passion for education aligns closely with her involvement in Rotary.
“Being a Rotarian actually inspired the establishment of my foundation. Rotary and Catherine Ade Foundation share similar values because we both focus on humanitarian service, especially education,” she said.
She emphasised that every child has a right to education and called for greater individual responsibility in addressing the gap left by government intervention.
The Head Teacher of LEA Primary School, Jahi Express, Hajia Hawababa Ahmed, also raised concerns over insecurity, inadequate infrastructure, and the rising number of out-of-school children affecting teaching and learning in the school.
Ahmed, who assumed duty three weeks ago, said she has been confronted with several challenges, particularly the porous nature of the school environment, which allows unrestricted movement in and out of the premises.
She appealed for the urgent fencing of the school and recruitment of additional PTA-supported staff to ease pressure on existing teachers.
“We urgently need the school fenced. Also, more PTA-supported teachers will help because one teacher cannot effectively handle over 100 pupils in a class,” she said.
The head teacher commended the Rotary Club and other partners for their continued support, describing them as a backbone of assistance to the school.
The Headmistress of LEA Primary School, Kataggiya community, Hauwa Zakari, expressed gratitude to the non-governmental organisation for its intervention in supporting education in her school, describing the gesture as a major relief to both pupils and parents.
Speaking in an emotional response, she said she was overwhelmed by the support provided, noting that many children in the community struggle to access basic education materials and even food.
She explained that many pupils attend school without proper uniforms, while some children in the community are not enrolled at all due to financial hardship.
“If you go into the village, you will see many children at home. I even suggested free registration, but parents still find it difficult to buy uniforms and sportswear,” she added.
The headmistress said she had encouraged flexibility in school requirements to allow more children access education, even without uniforms, in order to reduce the number of out-of-school children.
