osting Pre-Nursery Education In Rivers

In a bold attempt to bridge the huge gap between the affluent few and rural poor in the area of qualitative child education, wife of the Rivers State Governor, Dame Judith Amaechi not too long ago, launched a number of pre-nursery schools across the state.

The venture which is a brainchild of the first lady’s pet programme, the Empowerment Support Initiative, ESI, is geared towards introducing rural children to early education in their very impressionable ages.

On the last count, no fewer than 21 local government areas have enjoyed the birth of such pre-nursery centres for which permanent sites are already being planned for next year.

This grandiose scheme, without doubts reflects the mindset of a mother desirous to ensure that rural kids enjoy early pre- nursery education. Apart from the benefits which abound in the early introduction of a child to the school environment, the pre- nursery education centres will no doubt ensure that “damaged goods” are amended before their enrolment into primary school.

Happily, renowned scholars are agreed that prejudices are most difficult to eradicate from the heart whose soil has never been loosened or fertilised by education because they grow there, firm as weeds among stones.

This is why The Tide commends the wife of the State Governor, Dame Judith Amaechi, not so much for the infrastructure being mooted for the schools but for her discretion, her drive and the sense of purpose, she has thus far demonstrated in the quest to actualise her pet dream.

There is no gain emphasising the fact that next in importance to freedom and justice in any human society is popular education without which neither freedom nor justice can be permanently maintained.

In the same vein, it must be emphasised also, that the most important foundation of every state is the education of its youths, the preparation of which the Empowerment Support Initiative is today addressing.

Plausible and grandiose as the scheme is, it should be understood that actual success shall depend largely on the caliber of men and women assembled to nurture these tender little minds along the path of moral rectitude and excite in the  kids the most needed love and passion for education among the minors.

That is why we consider, as most timely, the caution by Dame Judith Amaechi to teachers and kids’ handlers during the launching of the Okrika local government episode of the programme, when, she advised those charged with the kiddies welfare to demonstrate high measure of patience and understanding.

More than that, The Tide considers the project as viable, important and indispensable to the laying of a solid foundation for our educational system and urges the Rivers State Government to do everything humanly possible to encourage the scheme toward its eventual success.

But more than that, handlers of the project must realise that failure cannot be accepted as an option, no matter the challenges.