INTRODUCTION/BACKGROUND
The
purpose of basic education in Nigeria is to impart a functional knowledge and
skills (vocational and life-skill) that are life long to those that submit themselves
to it (FRN 2004). In order to ensure the realization of this objectives UNICEF
has assisted state agencies in implementation of best practices in education. One
component of best practices in education is provision of quality basic
education. Quality basic education includes provision of life long skill-based
education that enables children to acquire the relevant knowledge and know how
to adapt and develop in the environment the child finds him/herself.
Such
education is considered very crucial as the society is dynamic and there have
been various changes that are taking place in the society. Such changes which
now pose as threats have to be surmounted by children in order to survive and make
meaningful impact in development of the society.
Part of the various efforts
made by UNICEF to ensure the provision of quality basic education to children
include; the introduction of child friendly school initiative programme, the
introduction of water sanitation and hygiene in schools, the school health
programmes etc. All these efforts have yielded tremendous results in schools
and communities where the programmes were implemented. Recently, in her
concerted efforts to ensure that schools impart the relevant skills that will
enable children engage in income generation and earning in schools and after
school, UNICEF introduced the afflatuon programme to UNICEF ‘A’ field-States in
2007. The programme is at the formative stage, and is still being pilot tested.
Afflatoun as a concept is an Arabic word which signifies an explorer.
The main
aim of the concept is to encourage children to develop skills in income
generation and prudence financial management while in school. The concept
originated from a pilot work that was done in Maharatra India by an
organization known as Meijoj. The ideological basis of afflatoun programme is
based on the UN convention on the rights of the child (CRC). It is also tied to
some of the numerous efforts directed to the achievement of the millennium
development goal (M.DG). The MDG itself as we know is a UN instrument for
development and eradication of poverty.
In
general terms, afflatoun targets children between the age 6-14 years who are in
the formal and non-formal school system. It empowers children to act as strong
social and economic change agents. It helps them break the cycle of poverty and
as well equip them with the necessary skills especially the knowledge of their
rights and responsibilities. It
is based on these numerous advantages of this project that this proposal
is made to determine how children in all the states in UNICEF ‘A’ field states
have utilized the out come of the implementation to improve themselves and their societies.
STATEMENT OF NEED
Education
is only meaningful if it equips its clientele with all relevant Skills
needed to survive in the society. Research studies carried out in Nigeria have
implicated the absence of life-skill components as the major bane of basic
education in Nigeria (Okeke and Rufail 2003). This according to the studies
have made children to drop out of schools. In most states in UNICEF A field,
such as in Ebonyi State, Parents prefer to send their wards to roadside
vocational skill centers rather than allowing them remain in school until
completion (UNICEF 2001). These parents feel that the formal school system is a
gross waste of their wads time. This is due to the fact that children finish
school and become financially dependant on their parents. For such parents the
school as it is presently does not prepare the children to face the real world
challenges.
This is a very bad trend which is one of the problems which afflatoun
is designed to solve. Therefore to reverse this ugly belief and instill
confidence in the minds of parents and wards on the potency of the school as a
veritable instrument for development and best alternative to sustainable
development issues such as afflatoun was introduced in the curriculum of our basic
education to salvage the situation. Since 2007, states in the ‘A’ field have
implemented the activity. Thus far, state should be able to have some thing on
ground which is the outcome of this programme. Moreover, it is time to conduct
a comprehensive evaluation of the programme implementation in the zone, in order
to determine challenges, best practices and innovative practices. The outcome
of the evaluation will help to reposition the programme towards the achievement
of its set goals.
PLANNED RESULTS
(1) Status
of afftatoun implementation in UNICEF A Field states determined alongside with
records of states’ standing on implementation.
(2) Comprehensive
data for planning future interventions on afflatoun in the zone becomes
available.
(3) Afflatuon
implementation challenges across the states determined and possible solutions proffered.
(4) States’ strengths and weaknesses
identified.
(5) Best practice identified for sharing.
EXPECTED OUTCOME
Improvement
in the implementation of afflatoun programmes in schools and the non-formal
Education center in UNICEF A Field states.
METHODOLOGY
The
activity is evaluation of the extent to which afflatoun has been implemented in
the ten state of UNICEF A Field states. Therefore schools and centers in the
state will be visited and on the site assessment carried out. Discussions will
hold between the teachers, pupils, parents and the evaluating team. Data will
also be collected using questionnaire and other structured and semi-structured questionnaire.
The
data so collected will be content analyzed in order to elicit the needed information,
from the data.
PARTICIPANTS
The
following people will carry out the monitoring visit to evaluate the programme.
--- Official from Lynxnigeria
--- UNICEF Education programme staff
--- Desk officers from states (SUBEB, SAME
& SMOE)
--- Staff of state planning commission.
--- Other support staff.
Duration:
2 days in each state
Venue:
School premises and NFE centers.
Budget: See attached.
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