Wife of Rivers State Governor, Dame Judith Amaechi has attributed militancy and youth restiveness in the Niger Delta Region to lack of proper foundational and early childhood education.

Mrs. Amaechi stated this on Monday during the ESI and Shell Clusters Development Partnership interactive session in Port Harcourt.

She said if the amnesty package must be successful, its implementation must be able to include and embrace the early childhood education in its programme.

The governor’s wife, who described children in the region as “survival in wilderness” stated that lack of basic amenities including rights to basic education instigated the youths to carrying arms and ammunitions.

According to her “when the child grows up without direction and a path to follow, he has no choice than to find answers to its situations”.

The Rivers First Lady noted that corporate organisations, and communities who neglect the basics in child development do so at their peril.

“The cause of militancy is the lack of proper early childhood education, a child has no access to basic things of life.

“A Holistic approach needs to be put in place to promote early child education if the nation’s education sector must be salvage”, Mrs Amaechi said.

She asserted that the child grows up in the face of intimidation, destruction of local economy and environmental subjugation, adding that this pitiable situation of the child gave rise to the ESI educational intervention scheme to mould children between 3-6 with a view to giving them a new beginning.

She said the challenge before ESI was to build permanent structure in the 319 wards of the state, adding that the structure would provide platform for adult literacy programme for parents.

The governor’s wife said it was necessary for corporate organisations to partner with Non-Governmental Organisations like the ESI to develop human capacity for the nation.

Mrs Amaechi said that the ESI teachers are expected to regular training with collaboration with British Council in Cambridge model of teaching and learning, adding that the 350 graduands of its pilot scheme are doing excellently well in the government –owned primary schools.

Earlier, the Manager, Government Community Relations, East SPDC, Mr Fufeyin Funkakpo said the organisation was willing to partner with ESI through its cluster system in the state.

Funkakpo said the cluster group will cross-fertilize ideas with a view to finding areas of mutual interest that will promote the rights of the child to access basic education.

Also, the Co-ordinator of ESI, Nowa Omorogbe commended the overwhelming support of the host communities, adding that the NGO has introduced “feed a child” project aimed at providing adequate and balanced meal necessary for the growth and learning capacity of the child.

The event was attended by management of 10 Clusters including Andoni, Etche 1 and 2, Greater Port Harcourt, Akuku Toru, Ikwerre LGAs, Shell Residential and Industrial Areas, Daa 1 and 2.