The Refuge of Life Foundation, RelFondNigeria, has registered 50 indigent Students of Osun state for the 2024 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Exams in its commitment to remedying the educational sector in the state.
Founder of the RelFondNigeria, Mr Bolanle Olabode, made this known at the 7th Anniversary and Award of the Foundation tagged: “Change the Narrative of Societal Insecurity with Quality Education” and held on Wednesday in Osogbo.
In his address to the public, Bolanle said the initiative was spurred by the alarming statistics recently released by UNICEF, which pinpointed Osun as the state in the South West Region with the highest percentage of out of school students
He said: “according to 2021 UNICEF survey, Osun state has the highest number of out of school children in southwest Nigeria with 14.88% of male children in Osun and 11.5% of females making a 13% average rate out of school in this ocean field, apart from children between the primary school and secondary school age, those who would not proceed to is also alarming.
“These groups are neither here nor there. They are not taking any entrepreneurial skills, not in any shop and apprentices and obviously they are not proceeding to institutions of learning.”
He further said: “Education is critical in preventing insecurity and promoting sustainable development.
“Insecurity in Nigeria is escalating, requiring children in Nigeria amongst about 20 million out of school and it’s hard to deny that this population does not contribute to so much insecurity in Nigeria which includes youthfulness, banditry, insurgency, killing, kidnapping, drug abuse, hunger, poverty and under development.”
“Therefore RelFondNig, as a stakeholder in the education sector, is advocating that we all explore the use of educational values as a mechanism to reduce insecurity and promote sustainable development.”
Speaking to newsmen, keynote speaker at the event, Prof Titilayo Ayotunde decried the recent spike in criminal activities and attributed this phenomenon to the high rate of unemployment in the nation.
He called on the government to take the lead in beefing up security and creating employment opportunities for the youthful population.
One of the awardees, Comrade Ayodeji Ologun, commended the efforts put in by the initiative and hailed its consistency in contributing to development in the sector.
He added that the program should serve as a wake-up call to other well meaning citizens, to take action in developing the educational sector.
Ologun was awarded for being a major supporter of the organization and for his efforts in promoting youth development in the State.
The young beneficiaries expressed gratitude for being enlisted to partake of this action.
Mr Bolanle revealed that the selection process was very transparent, involving a mock test, and open also to non indigenes residing in Osun.
