7th October, 2016
Some educationists, on Friday in Lagos, called for the sensitization of children to child’s rights, through books that portray such rights.
According to reports, when children knew their rights, early enough, it would be difficult for anybody to trample on them.
Dr Olabisi Adedigba of the University of Ilorin, said that the best way to sensitize children on their right was through books with story lines on child’s right.
She told NAN in Lagos that children, through such method, would easily talk about their rights with their parents, teachers and even decline any injustice against them.
The don said that there was no adequate awareness on the rights of the child among children and parents.
According to her, such awareness can be promoted through literature books.
Adedigba said that she had passion to protect child’s rights as an early childcare education instructor and was already working on how to develop story books on such rights.
“Some parents and children are not aware of the Childs’ Right Act.
“What a child learns in school especially through teaching instrument and literature book will help to create awareness.
“Such things can easily stick to children’s memory and they will be able to know and speak against injustice,’’ she said.
The don said that some books namely, “Amaka Meets Her Angel’’, “My Favourites Beats’’ and “Rhythms” dwell on child rights.
Also speaking, the President, Early Childcare Association of Nigeria (ECAN), Mrs Ajike Osanyin, said members of the association were passionate about the rights of the Nigerian child.
Osanyin said that the association was sensitizing school children through teaching on the Children Rights Act.
According to her, the association’s vision and mission are to care and protect the African child and make sure that they are mentored to adulthood to become responsible citizens.
Similarly, the National Secretary of the association, Mr Ademuyiwa Ashimolowo, said that members have conducted useful researches on early childhood education, using the Nigerian children and fostering their rights.
“We are trying to turn out a set of theories that will be based on researches carried out using the Nigerian children.
“We will no longer depend on the middle class Europe and American children for our research efforts.
“That is what ECAN sets out to do as an association, which is interested in propounding new theories on how to rear the African child the African way.
“This way, we will be able to preserve, rather than lose the value of our tradition and culture and still be able to compete globally,’’ he said.
The secretary assured that the association would stop at nothing to protect the rights of the Nigerian child.
NAN reports that ECAN has recently honoured Adedigba for her doctoral degree thesis, which centered on child rights.
Her thesis was entitled, “Efficacy of Literature-based Instructional Strategies on Pupils Awareness of and Attitude to Child Rights in Kwara State, Nigeria’’.
Ashimolowo described the award as another milestone event for the association.