By: Modupe George
All is now set as the University of Ibadan (UI) mainstreams the adapted International Labour Organisation’s (ILO) SCREAM – ‘Supporting Children’s Rights through Education, the Arts and Media’ module as a course into the General Studies(GES) programme of the institution.
This was made known at the five-day workshop held from March 23 to 28 and organised by the International Labour Organisation(ILO) in collaboration with the University of Ibadan and supported by the ACCEL Africa project funded by the government of the Netherlands.
The projest meant to train educational stakeholders/technical officers on the elimination of child labour, was held at the Balogun Subomi Conference Centre of the university.
The first Phase of the SCREAM module training was previously conducted at a six-day workshop with the theme “A Certificated SCREAM,” by the duo organisers to train teachers and other stakeholders in the cocoa and artisanal mining sectors on child labour at the same venue.
In her remarks at the opening of the training, the country director, ILO, Ms Vanessa Phala, represented by the national coordinator, ILO, Dr Agatha Kolawole, said child labour remained a significant challenge in Nigeria as children are engaged on various forms of child labour, including hazardous work.
She said that child labour did not only deprive children of their childhood, but majorly their education as well as their health and future prospects adding that “It also undermines the country’s social and economic development.”
According to her, the ACCEL Africa Nigeria project, since its launch in 2019, sought to address the root causes of child labour and promote decent work for young people in Nigeria, through targeted activities outlined in the project work plan.
She disclosed that the ACCEL project had also provided education and training opportunities for over 1800 children and young people and has raised awareness on the impact of child labour on education and the importance of promoting decent work for young people in Nigeria.
Speaking about the training workshop, Phala said: “This second phase is for technical officers who are influencers to ensure the adaptation and wide usage of the module in our educational systems, in rehabilitation homes, by Street children, among others.”
She appreciated the authorities of the University of Ibadan and its ACCEL team led by the deputy vice chancellor (Academics), Professor Ronke Baiyeroju, noting that “the university now has a SCREAM Module as a course mainstreamed into the GES programme. We look forward to more of this.”
The UI ACCEL Project coordinator, Professor Akin Odebunmi, who was one of the resource persons at the training harped on the resourcefulness of the module as all necessary ingredients of effective pedagogy had been injected into the training sessions in spite of the challenges of time.
He encouraged participants to invest themselves in the activities of the training not only for fulfilling the purpose of their nomination for the programme, but also for picking up skills that will help to transform the society.
In her address at the closing ceremony of the training workshop on Tuesday, the UI ACCEL team lead and DVC, UI, Professor Ronke Baiyeroju in her speech hinted that the SCREAM Module was adapted and developed by the UI team, saying this trailblazing excellence is a mark of the institution.
She said the main aim of the workshop was to promote the implementation and adaptation of the SCREAM modules in schools and requisite workplaces.
In their comments at the end of the training the three participants, assistant secretary general, NUT, Ondo State Wing, Mr Daisi Igbelowowa; the executive secretary NACRRAN, Mr Archibong Anderson, and Mrs Oluwatoyin Williams, from the Lagos Ministry of Education, and who spoke on behalf of others thanked the organisers of the training and for choosing them as beneficiaries of the second phase of the SCREAM Module training.
They promised to be change agents in their various organisations, circles of influence and worthy ambassadors of ILO SCREAM/ACCEL Africa Nigeria projects.
