A Non Governmental Organization, NGO, A Mother’s Love Initiative, AMLi, has stressed the need for parenting practices to be included in curriculum and taught at tertiary levels of education to bridge knowledge and skills gaps of young adults who are the next set of parents.
AMLi, made the call on the occasion of the Day of the African Child, DAC, on Wednesday, with this year’s themed: “Eliminating Harmful Practices Affecting Children: Progress on Policy and Practice since 2013.”
Since June 16, 1991, the Day of the African Child, first initiated by the Organisation of African Unity, OAU,
has been celebrated annually in honour of those who participated in the Soweto Uprising in 1976 on that day.
The Day raises awareness of the continuing need for improvement of the education provided to African children.
AMLi’s Chief Executive Officer, Mrs Enwemadu in her address, stressed that school systems must review their policies to accommodate the concept of play, reduce unhealthy competition, and promote social and positive psychological capitals from the early childhood to tertiary level of education.
Enwemadu, whose organisation has been advocating against the “Hurried Child Syndrome” recommends that Psychological assessment and diagnosis of stress in children should be a critical indicator in admission process into primary and secondary schools and must be implemented in both private and public educational institutions in Nigeria.
According to her; “The Nigerian policy on Education must be revised to ensure that punitive measures are meted on individuals or schools that practice harmful practices, including hurrying activities in the school system towards both the boy and girl-child.
“Government inspection officers in the area of Quality assurance in Education must visit schools to ensure that classroom management and school activities are designed to reduce stressors in the learning process.
“The Nigerian policy on Education must ensure that the school system must make play-based learning at the early childhood levels and extracurricular activities at secondary levels is made mandatory to increase the Quality of School Life.”
Enwemadu, who is also a lawyer noted that the goal of eliminating harmful practices is a daunting task that requires the collective voice of all well-meaning Africans.
“There is the need to seek legal actions that will ensure that certain policies and practices are implemented while the advocacy is on-going,” she stated.
Enwemadu, therefore, urged government to establish post marital counselling clinics in each Local Governments Area, while workplace policies must be further revised (key attention to the private sector) to reduce parenting stress, encourage inclusive and balanced parenting among present-day and reduce the drive for employment of underaged children.
She said “the African child should be given dedicated and accessible platform or channels in each local and state government to facilitate sharing of information with experts when they are embattled with a challenge in the course of their development.”