The Oyo State Government has inaugurated the Environmental and Social Safeguard teams, with the aim of ensuring that out-of-school children captured and re-enrolled in the Better Education Service Delivery for All (BESDA) programme, are taught in child-friendly environments without any form of threat.
At a 2-day orientation training organised for the newly constituted local teams in Ibadan, the Executive Chairman, Oyo State Universal Basic Education Board (OYOSUBEB), Dr Nureni Adeniran, said part of the team’s priorities, under the supervision of the board, is to strategise on how to consolidate on the gains of the ongoing BESDA programme in Oyo State.
Adeniran listed some of the priorities of the team as promotion of children’s right in the locality; reporting cases of any form of child abuse in schools; reporting adults vulnerable to radicalisation and enhancing compliance to safeguarding procedures and effective use of grievance redress mechanism boxes, among others.
He noted that the members selected across the 21 BESDA focus Local Government Areas, would help reduce adverse socio-environmental impact that may arise in the implementation of development projects.
The OYOSUBEB boss hinted that the state government hoped to motivate and retain the children into the formal school system for a functional education, emphasising an all-inclusive participation in the educational sector.
Adeniran charged members of the team to face the challenges ahead with courage and sincerity of purpose, so as to merit and foster the high expectation of the people, noting that their assignment demands a high sense of responsibility, a large heart and total loyalty to their communities, local governments, the Board, the state and Nigeria as a whole.
He stated: “the idea of Environmental and Social Safeguards was conceived in BESDA as an operational procedure designed to mitigate and minimize adverse environmental and social impact that may arise in the implementation of development projects.
“We see you as leaders in your assigned duties. We therefore expect you to discharge your duties with a good sense of judgement, strong will and dedication,” Adeniran admonished.
He therefore reiterated that the Oyo State Government, under the leadership of Governor Seyi Makinde, is committed to ensuring that out-of-school children are reduced to the barest minimum in the state, as they access qualitative education.
Emmanuel Ukoh
