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| Basic Primary Education Remains a Mirage for Millions of African Children |
 PRINTABLE VERSION |
We all can agree, and the United Nations has affirmed, that the right to basic education is a fundamental human right. However, this right remains a lingering and ever-growing mirage for millions of African children who have been deprived of this fundamental human right. From Nigeria to Namibia, millions of children dot the streets hawking goods instead of being in classrooms. In Ivory Coast, children work the cocoa farm instead of being in the classroom to the benefit of multinational companies who make use of this raw material, an act that essentially promotes child labour.
Children are the vanguards of tomorrow, the hope of every nation. How can Africa strive to achieve the Millennium Development Goals of the UN if it can’t afford to keep its children in school? Children should be provided with the enabling environment to thrive and to succeed. Children should be supported as well as empowered to achieve their greatest human potential. These innocent children, even in the harshest of situations know nothing but smiles. We all need to take a bold stand against the relegation of children, a trend that would create an illiterate majority in the African continent. There can never be meaningful development in Africa without a population that is well educated, inspired, informed and then challenged. One can argue that education is a vital key to unlock the gate of success in virtually all aspects of human endeavour and aspiration. If this is the case, how can we unite, from Africa to America, to bring this growing concern to the fore? What can we do to persuade these despotic leaders to invest in their people, their future? How can we persuade African leaders to immerse themselves in the waters of selfless leadership and empathize with the inert desires of their people?
These children roaming the streets of Africa have the same hopes, dreams and aspirations as any other child in Europe or America, but have remained hopeless and helpless because of the inaction and mismanagement of national resources that is endemic in Africa. I believe that we at TIG, out of concern for our common humanity, can write a formal petition to African governments, one at a time to begin to look at local and international partnerships that would help put more children in the classroom. What do you think?
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Writer Profile
Pedus
I was born in Nigeria and was educated in Nigeria, USA and Australia. I am the founder and president of Christina-Mae Recruitment Consortium Australia and the author of the book "When Things Go Wrong: Concepts of Change". I am also the co-founder of Child Aid Survival and Development International (CASDI). As a freelance journalist, I have contributed to a number of professional journals and newspapers, as well as worked in a number of e-journalism projects. I have traveled extensively and currently call Australia and the USA home with extensive involvement in African Human Rights issues.
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