Restanchor@20: Save Vulnerable Children from Education Crisis, Stakeholders Urge

…As Foundation seeks stronger partnerships to tackle poverty, neglect and school exclusion

Stakeholders in the education and social development sectors have called for stronger collaboration among government, parents, civil society organisations and the private sector to address the challenge of out-of-school children in Nigeria.

They made the call in Ibadan, Oyo State, on Thursday during the 20th anniversary celebration of Restanchor Total Child Parenting Foundation, which has supported vulnerable children, widows and families through education, child protection and humanitarian interventions.

The event, held at the Local Government Building Hall, State Secretariat, Agodi, Ibadan, had the theme, “Protecting Children, Preserving Humanity, Securing the Future.”

The chairman of the occasion and Director-General of the Oyo State Mobilisation Agency for Socio-Economic Development, Dr Moronkola Thomas, said the education and welfare of children should not be left to government alone.

Thomas, a former Oyo State Commissioner for Education, said parents, teachers, government and the wider society had a shared responsibility to ensure that children received quality education and proper upbringing.

He commended Restanchor for supporting children from disadvantaged backgrounds, particularly those whose family circumstances could prevent them from accessing education.

“Government alone cannot do it. Government alone does not do it anywhere in the world. All of us must see it as our responsibility to cater for our children, their health, education and general wellbeing,” he said.

Thomas also urged parents to take greater responsibility for their children’s welfare, warning against leaving the burden of raising children to government agencies and non-governmental organisations.

He particularly called on fathers to be more involved in their children’s upbringing, noting that women should not be left to shoulder the responsibility alone.

According to him, children who are neglected by their families and communities risk missing the education and support needed to become responsible members of society.

He urged individuals, organisations and government agencies to support initiatives that provide educational opportunities and other essential assistance to vulnerable children.

The Permanent Secretary, Oyo State Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, Mrs Bamidele Toyin Oyinloye, also commended Restanchor for its contributions to improving access to education for disadvantaged children.

Oyinloye said the ministry attended the anniversary to appreciate the foundation’s work over the past 20 years and encourage it to sustain its support for children facing barriers to education.

She noted that some children lost access to education following the death of a parent or a decline in their family’s financial circumstances.

She added that some parents were reluctant to transfer their children from private to public schools when their financial situation changed because of concerns about social stigma.

Oyinloye stressed the importance of making public education accessible and ensuring that schools had teachers available to meet pupils’ learning needs.

She said reducing financial barriers and improving access to teachers were essential to ensuring that children could attend school and receive quality education.

Earlier, the president and founder of Restanchor Total Child Parenting Foundation, Pastor Prince Leye Adefioye, said the organisation was established in 2006 on the conviction that no child should be denied a future because of poverty, orphanhood, abuse, neglect or difficult family circumstances.

He said the foundation had, over the past two decades, supported vulnerable children, widows and families through education, food and humanitarian assistance, psychosocial care, child protection, advocacy and empowerment programmes.

Adefioye described the anniversary as an opportunity to reflect on the lives touched and opportunities created through the foundation’s interventions.

He said some former beneficiaries had become educated professionals, responsible parents and contributors to their communities, while others had begun helping people in need.

However, he warned that children continued to face challenges, including trafficking, exploitation, poverty, family disintegration and emerging digital threats, requiring stronger institutions and sustainable partnerships.

He called on government, corporate organisations, development partners, philanthropists and individuals to support the initiative through donations, partnerships, sponsorships and technical assistance.

He said the foundation intended to strengthen its child-protection systems, expand educational and psychosocial support, and promote economic empowerment for widows and vulnerable families.

Adefioye urged stakeholders to work together to ensure that children from disadvantaged backgrounds had access to education, protection and opportunities to build sustainable futures.

As part of its plans for the next 20 years, Adefioye announced a proposed ₦500 million endowment fund for vulnerable children and widows.