By Emmanuel Antswen
The Benue State Government on Tuesday said the International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD) has supported some schools in the state with equipment and infrastructure.
The state Commissioner for Education and Knowledge Management, Dr Margaret Adamu, made the disclosure at the “Training of Subject Teachers on Mainstreamed Trafficking In Persons (TIP) in the Revised National Curriculum” workshop in Makurdi.
Represented by Mrs Dooshima Awai, Director of Science and Technology at the ministry, Adamu said ICMPD, through the School Anti-Trafficking Education and Advocacy Project (STEAP), was supporting schools with equipment and infrastructure in the state.
She said apart from capacity building of teachers, students and stakeholders in the state, ICMPD has donated computer sets and built mini examination halls for schools.
“Even in the area of school improvement projects, so far, Tilley Gyado College Makurdi and Igwe Community Secondary School in Oju have received sets of computers, while Lobethas Unity College Daudu is already enjoying her hand-pump borehole.
“Mini-examination hall construction is ongoing at Mbawa Community Secondary School Daudu, while two other schools have been surveyed for their project, and many more are coming, courtesy of ICMPD.
“We are optimistic that more will be executed next year,” she said.
The commissioner recalled that school principals, vanguard coordinators and Parent Teachers Association executives of the selected 50 schools for the STEAP Project were trained.
She said the training was already being stepped down in their various schools.
“Today, we have gathered again to train the project teachers, who are actually the implementers of the programme to students in their various classes.
“These teachers are teachers of National Value (formerly Social Studies) at the basic level and Civic Education and/or Government at the senior secondary level.
“These are the subject areas that have human trafficking and other related issues in their curriculum. The aim of this training is to add to their already acquired knowledge, especially on the modern trends in human trafficking and violence against persons,” she said.
Adamu further commended the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) for their role in the partnership, adding that over 1000 people are being trained on issues of human trafficking in the state.
In his goodwill message, Prof. Yanigen Ornguga, Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice and Public Order, said human trafficking remained the state’s greatest threat.
Ornguga said human trafficking has undermined the state values, destroyed lives and robbed communities of promising stars.
He said the workshop was a commendable step towards empowering educators and stakeholders with tools to identify and prevent future human trafficking incidents within their domain.
He said the state government was committed to ensuring that justice, public order and protection of lives and dignity of every citizen were guaranteed. NAN
