As part of its efforts to ensure gender balance in the area of childcare programme in Oyo State, Charles Alade Initiative has set in motion the machinery to ensure that all male students across the state get equal attention as their female counterparts.
The initiative called ‘Project 1000’, according to the convener, Mr. Charles Alade, is just a tip of the iceberg being one of many programmes in its pipeline.
“Just recently, the socio-cultural construct of Nigeria’s educational system pointed out a huge focus on the psychological, physical and cultural needs of the girl child with little attention being paid to the needs of the boy child.
“The saying that the child is the father of the man recognizes the fact that the quality of today’s boy child will determine the quality of tomorrow’s man.
“Report shows that some students, especially the male students in Oyo State, Nigeria are regularly absent from school due to lack of befitting school uniforms. Some, however, defy the odds and the embarrassment of donning tattered uniforms just to be educated.
“This, according to some teachers and academic supervisors in governmental and special needs schools, demoralizes the students and affect their academic performance.
“Before embarking on this project, we visited some schools to research the impact of tattered uniform on the academic performance of the boy child and we realized that psychologically those whose parents are unable to afford uniforms or wear torn uniforms lack the motivation to study or be active in class.
According to a mother: “My child’s uniform tore since last year but even what to eat is a problem so I have not been able to sew one for him, sometimes he does not want to go to school at all. I have to beg him.’
“In a bid to address this challenge of the boy child’s education and development in Oyo State, Project 1000’ by Charles Alade Initiative is on a mission to fill a void through combating the unintended perception of neglect of the boy child’s needs.” Mr. Alade said.
While addressing newsmen on Monday, Mr. Alade said that the initiative is opened to support from both government and well-meaning private individuals. Also, while dissecting the objectives and modus operandi of ‘Project 1000’ Mr. Alade stated that the Initiative, with the help of the of the Oyo State Ministry of Education, has selected 10 schools across the ten zones in the state. He appreciated the efforts of the Oyo State Government in the area of data collection of the targeted schools across the ten zones.
“Project 1000 is our mission at The Charles Alade Initiative, to provide 10 male students from 100 government secondary schools and Special Needs School in Oyo State with a new school uniform each.
“This project aims at providing assistance to the seemingly neglected boychild. The government in her quota has made significant contributions to the educational sector in the last few years, but when a quarter or more of our young learners still wrestle with creating a sound learning atmosphere for themselves, then there is a need for a different approach.
“Project 1000 aims at striking this down by developing a strong and functional self-concept that will in turn be an asset to nation building by clothing a thousand students in Oyo State, Nigeria. This is PROJECT 1000.
“The introduction of this free school uniform for 1000 male students in public and Special Needs schools is also a social intervention in education with the aim to reduce the cost of education and provide support for the less privileged in Oyo State.
“Wearing a good uniform is a badge of pride and is an important part of being a student. If this project operations are successful, changes can include; Improved learning by reducing distraction, sharpening focus on schoolwork and making the classroom a more serious environment. It will also promote a sense of teamwork and increase school spirit among students. He added.
Mr. Alade started the success of the project operations could also be extended to other government and special need schools outside Oyo State, stressing the experience could also be applied to other sectors like the orphanage homes in the country.
He called on well-meaning Nigerians to join the Initiative in its efforts to ensure gender balance in giving attention for future leaders. He stressed that giving attention to girl child while neglecting boy child has continued to reflect on the society as neglected boy children of yesterday have become marital problems to the girl children upon whom the society lavished attention.
Dignitaries from different walks of life attended the event, including Honourable Kazeem Bolarinwa, Special Adviser to Governor Seyi Makinde on Youths and Sports