Opinion
Achieving ‘Quality Education’ In The Child Rights, SDGs
The Child’s Rights Act and the African Children’s Charter define a child as a person below 18 years of age. Nigeria adopted the Child’s Rights Act in 2003, giving nod to both the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child. The Act contains a number of rights of children. Among them is – Free and compulsory basic education. On the other hand, the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) all the UN Member States agreed to achieve by the year 2030 was envisioned for a world free from poverty, hunger and disease with a special focus on women, children and disadvantaged populations.
However, quality education; the fourth in the SDGs, is the focal point here and now vis-à-vis the rights of the child. From UN data, globally, 53 percent of 10-year-olds in low-and middle-income countries cannot read and understand a simple sentence or perform basic numeracy tasks. In Sub-Saharan Africa, 87 percent of children are ‘in learning poverty’ as they do not have basic literacy by age 10. In Nigeria, the record is terrifyingly disturbing with results being one of the lowest globally – with 70 percent of children not achieving basic foundational skills.
Though, chief of the stumbling blocks to child education in Nigeria is religion, coupled with ethnic and cultural diversity, nonetheless, there are other forces like poor funding on education considering the paltry 1.7 per cent of GDP to education, in-adequate and under-prepared workforce as a record reveals that 27 per cent of the teaching staff are unqualified. Others are in-sufficient physical resources with a high classroom learner ratio of 1:55 in primary schools, and low school readiness as no less than 10 million children aged 3 to 5 are not enrolled in early childhood care and education (ECCE) with net enrolment ratio (NER) put at 30.7 per cent.
Breaking these down, ensuring that teachers in basic education are qualified and undergo requisite training is compelling. Qualification to teach should go beyond holding certificates to expertise and retraining. A teacher must have teaching skills, and not as an accidental job. In fact, quality learning in basic education is as essential as in high school on account that pupils that receive quality basic education will flow in high schools with less difficulty. UNICEF Communication Specialist, Dr Geoffrey Njoku, while underlining the calamity, pointed out that the majority of children enrolled in schools are as deficient as those not in school. This is terrible.
The second is the absence of preparatory classes preceding primary education in public schools. The oversight has contributed vastly to poor education in Nigeria. No surprise the society is in disarray presently with ritual-killings, banditry, abduction and other vices. These are the effects of oversights over the years. A preparatory class for development of a child’s social, emotional, cognitive and physical needs in order to build a solid and broad foundation for lifelong learning and wellbeing prior to primary-one is essential. UNICEF Education Specialist, Manar Ahmed Sharouda, hit the hammer at the head during a workshop on ‘SDGs as Child Rights’ that “one must first learn to read, in order to read to learn”.
The third is excessive homework beyond the mental capacity of a child. The 31st clause in the UNCRC is right to leisure, recreation and cultural activities. Thus, ensuring that children are not overloaded with homework can enhance their learning progressions as experts maintained. More worrisome are some homework that rationally can not be solved by children. From investigation, the disproportionate workloads on pupils result from rivalry among schools for superiority contests, and therefore, regulating all schools under basic education to run a unified curriculum may change the narrative.
Commendably, UNICEF, from record is already supporting the federal government to improve Foundational Literacy and Numeracy through tailor-made, teaching-learning practices, such as Teaching at the Right Level (TaRL) and Reading and Numeracy Activities (RANA), nonetheless, a lot still needs to be done. The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child while affirming that every child has a right to education emphasises that the purpose is to enable the child to develop to his or her fullest possible potential and to learn respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms.
Concurringly, Dr Anthony Chidiebere Ezinwa of the Department of Mass Communication, Enugu State University of Science and Technology, Enugu emphasised that “Children are not just objects who belong to their parents and for whom decisions are made, or adults in training. Rather, they are human beings and individuals with their own rights”.
Relatively, it was poignant listening to ordeals a then 14-year-old girl faced in the name of marriage, custom and religion on television recently. At the age of 12, Aishatu was forcefully married to a 59-year-old man as the fourth wife, and she became pregnant two years later. During labour, she had serious complications that her adolescent body was torn leading to other issues. While undergoing the hell experience at such a tender age, the husband heartlessly drove her away due to offensive odour from her damaged body. Her parents too confined and isolated her in her miseries.
Providentially, an NGO intervened and facilitated her recovery. The parents, while giving their accounts, argued that their action was ‘in the best interest of the girl’ and in sync with their religion, albeit regretted their action, and reunited with their broken daughter after 5 years. This damage was avoidable had the parents received quality education prior to parenthood considering that adults do not fall from the sky but grown children. When children are not educated, they grow to live in delusion thereby posing great hazards to society.
No doubt, Part one of the UNCRC demands that ‘the best interest of a child is to be of paramount consideration in all actions’. However, it must be in tandem with laws. For example, UNCRC provides for compulsory access to education, prohibits sexual abuse (early and forced marriage until eighteen years) in Articles 28 and 34 respectively. Unfortunately, child marriage remains a prevalent practice in northern Nigeria. Girls about the age of 10 or 12 years still get betrothed or married off.
Furthermore, children still engage in hawking on highways during school hours and sessions, and seemingly, little or nothing is being done to protect them or deter parents and guardians from such practices. By ratifying the Child’s Rights Convention and African Children’s Charter, the Nigerian government has a duty to enforce these laws in a uniform and coherent manner. This submits that the major enemy of Child Rights abuse is willpower to implement the enacted laws.
By: Carl Umegboro
Umegboro is a public affairs analyst.
Opinion
Restoring Order, Delivering Good Governance
The political atmosphere in Rivers State has been anything but calm in 2025. Yet, a rare moment of unity was witnessed on Saturday, June 28, when Governor Siminalayi Fubara and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Chief Nyesom Wike, appeared side by side at the funeral of Elder Temple Omezurike Onuoha, Wike’s late uncle. What could have passed for a routine condolence visit evolved into a significant political statement—a symbolic show of reconciliation in a state bruised by deep political strife.
The funeral, attended by dignitaries from across the nation, was more than a moment of shared grief. It became the public reflection of a private peace accord reached earlier at the Presidential Villa in Abuja. There, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu brought together Governor Fubara, Minister Wike, the suspended Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Martin Amaewhule, and other lawmakers to chart a new path forward.
For Rivers people, that truce is a beacon of hope. But they are not content with photo opportunities and promises. What they demand now is the immediate lifting of the state of emergency declared in March 2025, and the unconditional reinstatement of Governor Fubara, Deputy Governor Dr. Ngozi Odu, and all suspended lawmakers. They insist on the restoration of their democratic mandate.
President Tinubu’s decision to suspend the entire structure of Rivers State’s elected leadership and appoint a sole administrator was a drastic response to a deepening political crisis. While it may have prevented a complete breakdown in governance, it also robbed the people of their voice. That silence must now end.
The administrator, retired naval chief Ibok-Ette Ibas, has managed a caretaker role. But Rivers State cannot thrive under unelected stewardship. Democracy must return—not partially, not symbolically, but fully. President Tinubu has to ensure that the people’s will, expressed through the ballot, is restored in word and deed.
Governor Fubara, who will complete his six-month suspension by September, was elected to serve the people of Rivers, not to be sidelined by political intrigues. His return should not be ceremonial. It should come with the full powers and authority vested in him by the constitution and the mandate of Rivers citizens.
The people’s frustration is understandable. At the heart of the political crisis was a power tussle between loyalists of Fubara and those of Wike. Institutions, particularly the State House of Assembly, became battlegrounds. Attempts were made to impeach Fubara. The situation deteriorated into a full-blown crisis, and governance was nearly brought to its knees.
But the tide must now turn. With the Senate’s approval of a record ?1.485 trillion budget for Rivers State for 2025, a new opportunity has emerged. This budget is not just a fiscal document—it is a blueprint for transformation, allocating ?1.077 trillion for capital projects alone. Yet, without the governor’s reinstatement, its execution remains in doubt.
It is Governor Fubara, and only him, who possesses the people’s mandate to execute this ambitious budget. It is time for him to return to duty with vigor, responsibility, and a renewed sense of urgency. The people expect delivery—on roads, hospitals, schools, and job creation.
Rivers civil servants, recovering from neglect and under appreciation, should also continue to be a top priority. Fubara should continue to ensure timely payment of salaries, address pension issues, and create a more effective, motivated public workforce. This is how governance becomes real in people’s lives.
The “Rivers First” mantra with which Fubara campaigned is now being tested. That slogan should become policy. It must inform every appointment, every contract, every budget decision, and every reform. It must reflect the needs and aspirations of the ordinary Rivers person—not political patrons or vested interests.
Beyond infrastructure and administration, political healing is essential. Governor Fubara and Minister Wike must go beyond temporary peace. They should actively unite their camps and followers to form one strong political family. The future of Rivers cannot be built on division.
Political appointments, both at the Federal and State levels, must reflect a spirit of fairness, tolerance, and inclusivity. The days of political vendettas and exclusive lists must end. Every ethnic group, every gender, and every generation must feel included in the new Rivers project.
Rivers is too diverse to be governed by one faction. Lasting peace can only be built on concessions, maturity, and equity. The people are watching to see if the peace deal will lead to deeper understanding or simply paper over cracks in an already fragile political arrangement.
Wike, now a national figure as Minister of the FCT, has a responsibility to rise above the local fray and support the development of Rivers State. His influence should bring federal attention and investment to the state, not political interference or division.
Likewise, Fubara should lead with restraint, humility, and a focus on service delivery. His return should not be marked by revenge or political purges but by inclusive leadership that welcomes even former adversaries into the process of rebuilding the state.
“The people are no longer interested in power struggles. They want light in their streets, drugs in their hospitals, teachers in their classrooms, and jobs for their children. The politics of ego and entitlement have to give way to governance with purpose.
The appearance of both leaders at the funeral was a glimpse of what unity could look like. That moment should now evolve into a movement-one that prioritizes Rivers State over every personal ambition. Let it be the beginning of true reconciliation and progress.
As September draws near, the Federal government should act decisively to end the state of emergency and reinstate all suspended officials. Rivers State must return to constitutional order and normal democratic processes. This is the minimum requirement of good governance.
The crisis in Rivers has dragged on for too long. The truce is a step forward, but much more is needed. Reinstating Governor Fubara, implementing the ?1.485 trillion budget, and uniting political factions are now the urgent tasks ahead. Rivers people have suffered enough. It is time to restore leadership, rebuild trust, and finally put Rivers first.
By: Amieyeofori Ibim
Amieyeofori Ibim is former Editor of The Tide Newspapers, political analyst and public affairs commentator
Opinion
Checking Herdsmen Rampage
Do the Fulani herdsmen have an expansionists agenda, like their progenitor, Uthman Dan Fodio? Why are they everywhere even the remotest part of other areas in Nigeria harassing, maiming, raping and killing the owners of the land?”
In a swift reaction, The Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP) decried and strongly condemned the invasion by suspected Fulani herdsmen.
In his denunciation, MOSOP President Fegalo Nsuke described the incident as very unfortunate and deeply troubling, warning against a recurrence of the violence experienced in Benue State. “The killing of yesterday is bad and very unfortunate. We are getting preliminary information about how the herders gained access to the farmland, and it appears some hoodlums may be collecting money and granting access illegally.”
He called on the Hausa community in Rivers State to intervene swiftly to prevent further attacks.
“We want the Hausa community in Rivers State to take urgent action to ensure these issues are resolved”.
But will such appeal and requests end the violent disposition of the Fulani herdsmen? It is not saying something new that the escalating threat and breach of peace across the country by the Fulani herdsmen or those suspected to be Fulani herdsmen, leaves much to be desired in a country that is bedevilled by multi-dimensional challenges and hydra-headed problems.
Some upland Local Government Areas of Rivers State, such as Etche, Omuma, Emohua, Ikwerre, Oyigbo, Abua, Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni, have severally recounted their ordeals, as herdsmen invaded farmlands, destroyed crops, raped female farmers and killed protestant residents.
Again the wanton destruction of lives and properties which no doubt has overwhelmed the Nigerian Police, makes the clamour for State Police, indispensable. The National Assembly should consider the amendment of the Constitution to allow States to have their Statutory policing agencies.
Opinion
Is Nigeria Democratic Nation?
As insurgency has risen to an all time high in the country were killings has now grown to be a normal daily activity in some part of the nation it may not be safe to say that Nigeria still practices democracy.
Several massacres coming from the Boko Haram and the herdsmen amongst all other insurgencies which have led to the destruction of homes and killing, burning of communities especially in the northern part of the country. All these put together are result of the ethnic battles that are fought between the tribes of Nigeria and this can be witnessed in Benue State where herders and farmers have been in constant clashes for ages. They have experienced nothing but casualties and unrest.
In the month of June 13-14, the Yelwata attack at the Guma Local Government Area by suspected gunmen or herdsmen who stormed the houses of innocent IDPs (Internally Displaced Persons) claiming the lives of families, both adults and children estimated to be 200 victims. They were all burnt alive by these unknown gunmen.
This has been recorded as one of the deadliest insurgencies that had happened in recent years. Some security personnel that were trying to fight the unknown gunmen also lost their lives.
Prior to the Yelewata attack, two days before the happening, similar conflict took place in Makurdi on June 11, 2025. 25 people were killed in the State. Even in Plateau State and the Southern Kaduna an attack also took place in the month of June.
All other states that make up the Middle Belt have been experiencing the farmers/herders clash for years now and it has persisted up till recent times, claiming lives of families and children, homes and lands, escalating in 2025 with coordinated assaults.
Various authorities and other villagers who fled for safety also blamed the herdsmen in the State for the attack that happened in Yelwata community.
Ehebha God’stime is an Intern with The Tide.
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