Well....

 

Wow....today makes it exactly 365 days since I posted any content on this blog! And I must sincerely apologize for not keeping up with this online experience for kids which I so  desperately wanted to pursue to help reduce the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the reading patterns and culture of our children. Nevertheless, with schools and education almost back to normal as before the pandemic, I am glad that children especially here in Nigeria and all around the world  are fully back into the learning system again.

In a few days time, schools will be opening for the 2021/2022 academic session here and I am aware that schools in the UK just opened for the new session on September 6. Also in the US and other parts of the world, schools are reopening after the summer holidays. I sincerely hope that this new year brings hope, healing and restoration to the education system all round the globe despite the ongoing fight against the Corona virus pandemic. 

This month has been declared Literacy month by the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). And what worries me the most was the post they put up on LinkedIn about teachers and learners ‘should never be a target’ for terrorists. After reading, it dawned on me that the situation in Northern Nigerian schools was a serious war and threat to stop children from acquiring knowledge for liberation and growth. 

Since 2013, kids have been consistently kidnapped from schools in Northern Nigerian schools to stop these children from learning. It has been an ongoing war against light and knowledge with the dark and sinister forces of wickedness and ignorance. And most recently, this trend has escalated to other parts of the country and has progressed from kidnapping only females to males, and even teachers and lecturers in both secondary and tertiary institutions. 

Although, the present administration is doing all that it can to stop this wicked act of violence against learners and teachers, a lot of children, teachers and even health workers kidnapped from these institutions of learning have lost their lives in this demise. Young female students have been raped by these hoodlums and forced into motherhood as a result of this ongoing war on education. 

As we celebrate Literacy month this September, let us first of all be grateful for the opportunity to learn and be enlightened. A lot of people especially in the western world don’t always appreciate the opportunities they have and most often take things for granted. Education in many African societies is under serious attack and threat. But despite all these scenarios, African children and youths are relentless and resilient in the pursuit of knowledge and education. And they are seen to excel marvelously when given the right opportunities. As a global community  that supports education  , we must rise up to the occasion and fight against these foes of enlightenment to  keep the light of knowledge, creativity and innovation burning,

In the beginning, God said, Let there be light, and there was light! Without light, which means enlightenment, there can be no understanding of systems and structures for more creativity and innovation. 

And parents, it’s time to take your kids back to the reading room again. Virtual reality, Play stations and the like can’t ever replace the good old tradition of reading a good book to and with your kids.

It’s time to start reading to them again!

All suggestions are welcome to improve this online book club experience! 

Ll

Since 2013, kids in northern Nigeria