0
0
Story by Sodiq Adebara
Parents and guardians have been urged to encourage their adolescents to remain focused on education and their future aspirations.
The National Coordinator of the Chidimma Havellah Foundation, a non-governmental organisation, Mr. Tiwatope Olumide Olayiwola, gave the advice during a learning workshop on parental care for adolescents, organised for stakeholders in Ilorin South Local Government Area of Kwara State.
Mr. Olumide said the foundation has implemented several programmes aimed at addressing the challenges faced by adolescents in society.
He stressed that tackling adolescent-related problems requires the combined efforts of parents, community leaders, and other stakeholders.
The National Technical Coordinator described the learning workshop, with the theme “Shrinking Norms and Barriers to Education Among Adolescents”, as a remarkable initiative that serves as an opportunity for the foundation to demonstrate its accountability to communities.
According to him, the workshop showcased progress made in the past 12 months, pinpointed existing challenges, and discussed ways to collectively address them at the community level with the support of government agencies, journalists, teachers, and others.
Mr. Olumide commended all the volunteers and the head of the community where the event took place: the Alagua of Tanke, Oba Salaudeen Umar, for his support.
In a remark, the Education Secretary of Ilorin South Local Government Area, Alhaji Ibrahim Saka Ahmed, urged parents to pay closer attention to their children and provide the necessary support and resources to enable them to achieve the set goals of education.
Alhaji Ahmed noted that the government has been making efforts by providing infrastructure, as well as teaching and learning materials, to enhance the smooth delivery of education to children.
According to him, breaking cultural and societal barriers will create a more enabling environment for young people, especially girls, to excel academically and achieve their dreams.
The event featured group sessions and presentations on various topics relevant to the theme.
During their presentations, participants highlighted certain factors that could hinder young girls’ education, ranging from cultural beliefs and financial constraints to early marriage and inadequate parental support.
Harmony FM reports that one of the group leaders also spoke extensively on the negative impact of early pregnancy among adolescent girls on their education and proposed solutions to address this challenge.
