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President Buhari Inaugurates Presidential Steering Committee On Alternate School Programme

Published

5 years ago

January 26, 2021

Joel Ajayi

President Muhammadu Buhari has inaugurated an 18-member Presidential Steering Committee on Alternate School Programme ASP.

At the inauguration which took place at the Presidential Villa on Tuesday in Aso Villa, President Buhari charged the ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development to coordinate and lead the deployment of a National Plan which will address the issue of out-of-school children in the country.

In a press statement issued by the Senior Assistant to the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management & Social Development, Nneka Ikem Anibeze on Tuesday expressed that it was unacceptable to see children abandoning formal school to engage in menial jobs and child labour in the markets, streets and workshops.

“While we continue to sustain our efforts on providing formal and conventional education through the activities of the Universal Basic Education Commission under the Federal Ministry of Education, it is still a common sight to notice children abandoning formal school to become apprentices in shops, workshops and markets, whilst many others choose to loiter at markets, become cart pushers and hawkers. These are not acceptable.

President Buhari implored all members of the committee to take the assignment with utmost seriousness adding that “the future of our young people is at stake”.

Earlier, the Chairman of the Committee Umar Farouq thanked the President for his support to the Ministry and for granting the approval for the Alternate School Programme.

The minister noted that the number of Out-of -School children was increasing at an alarming rate, adding that there is urgent need to address the problem with deft response required of such an exigent matter.

“Education serves as a catalyst for the all-round growth and development of any individual. Thus, for any nation to thrive, adequate investment in human capital, by increasing access to quality education, must be prioritized. The United Nations identifies quality education as one of the most powerful and proven vehicles for attaining sustainable development”.

The Minister lamented the challenges facing the country due to the growing number of out of school children which cuts across the entire nation.

“Those mostly affected by this scourge include the girl-child, predominantly in the North, Almajiri-children in the North, children of nomadic pastoralists spread across the country, incidence of boy child drop-out mainly in the South-East and South-South regions, street children in the South-West, commonly referred to as area boys, particularly around the Lagos axis, children of migrant fishermen in the South-South, and more recently the internally displaced children in the North-East, occasioned by the Boko Haram insurgency and insecurity”.

Umar Farouq assured the President that the Committee will leverage on the Ministry’s social protection instruments including N-Power, the Conditional Cash Transfer and the Home-Grown School Feeding Programmes to provide tailored delivery mechanisms targeted at the country’s out of school children.

“By integrating basic education with religious education and vocational training, the Alternate School Programme will increase access to education without altering social norms and cultures. Consequently, every child, including those in the most peculiar of circumstances, will have access to learning opportunities”.

According to UNICEF, Nigeria currently has the highest number of out of school children globally, while it is estimated that approximately 10.5 million children aged 5 to 14 years are not in school. Statistics also show that only 61 per cent of children within the 6 to 11-year age bracket regularly attend primary school while the North has an abysmal net attendance rate of 35.6 per cent.

The Alternate School Programme, is an innovative and flexible approach to learning and skills development, ensuring that education is designed to specifically address the needs of the target beneficiaries and is delivered conveniently, without unnecessary encumbrances. By targeting out of school children, the program will ensure that more children are equipped with basic literacy skills, reasoning capabilities and technical and vocational expertise that will enable them to live fulfilled lives.

It is also expected to significantly reduce the number of out of school children in Nigeria, provide access to inclusive and equitable quality education, eliminate child labour, facilitate the effective integration of religious discipline and vocational training with basic education, provide opportunities for children to develop life supporting skills from vocational and entrepreneurship training to improve their chances of future success, improve the quality and outcome of basic education in the country and foster tolerance, unity, and integration of all children with diverse backgrounds into the larger society.

The Presidential Steering Committee has been mandated to Refine the vision of the initiative.

Ensure engagement and effective uptake of the ASP initiative across the country, Review and approve all work, implementation plan, expected deliverables, feedbacks and reports as proposed and

Undertake any other task that can enhance the effective delivery of the initiative by the Ministry.

Members include: Minister, Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development who will Chairman the committee.

Others members are; Minister of Education Co-Chairman; Minister of State of Education Member; Senior Special Assistant to the President on the Sustainable Development Goals – Member; Minister of State, Budget and National Planning – Member; Chairman, Northern Governors’ Forum – Member; Executive Secretary, Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC)-Member.

Also, the Director-General, National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) – Member; National President, Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON) – Member; Representative, United Nations’ Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Representative – Member; Representative, United Nations’ International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) – Member; Representative, Global Partnership for Education – Member; Chair, Private Sector Advisory Group (SDGs) – Member; Chair, Civil Society Coalition on Sustainable Development – Member; Chair, Senate Committee on Basic Education –Member; Chair, House Committee on Basic Education – Member; Hon. Dr. Shehu Balarabe Kakale – Member and Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development Bashir Nura Alkali- Secretary included.

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Daughters of Dr. Charles Ononiwu, Chiamanda and Chiamaka, Launch Debut Books to Uplift Hearts Facing Life’s Struggles

Published

3 weeks ago

October 10, 2025

The Gleamer

Joel Ajayi

At just 18 and 20 years old, Chiamanda and Chiamaka Ononiwu — daughters of renowned Nigerian surgeon Dr. Charles Ononiwu — have achieved a remarkable milestone with the release of their debut inspirational books, Do Not Be Afraid and Waterfalls.

Their literary journey began six years ago, during the height of the global COVID-19 pandemic. While the world was engulfed in fear and uncertainty, the then 13- and 15-year-old sisters turned inward, using writing as an outlet to process their emotions, express their faith, and reach out to others with messages of hope and resilience.

What began as a quiet act of creativity blossomed into two powerful books that now serve as beacons of light for readers navigating life’s storms.

Eighteen-year-old Chiamanda Ononiwu is the author of Do Not Be Afraid. A passionate Electrical Engineering student , she is also a proud alumna of Intellichild TLC and Valedictorian of Great Blessings School, Class of 2022.

In her book, she addresses the emotional challenges many young people face and draws from her personal faith to offer guidance and encouragement.

Her elder sister, Chiamaka Ononiwu, 20, is a final-year medical student at Babcock University in Nigeria. She penned Waterfalls, a heartfelt and deeply spiritual work she describes as divinely inspired. Chiamaka views her writing as a calling — a mission to uplift souls and bring hope to those struggling with life’s challenges.

“Personally, I would say it all started with the idea of inclusion, inspired by real human experiences,” Chiamaka shared. “We’ve had conversations with people who’ve gone through difficult situations — including issues and those stories helped shape what I write today.”

She added, “It’s all about encouraging people to face life with faith. We began this journey during a dark time in the world, and I felt called to create something that could offer comfort and hope — not just locally, but globally.”

The official book launch and signing ceremony took place on Wednesday in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital, and was attended by family, friends, colleagues, and well-wishers. It was a celebration of creativity, faith, and youthful brilliance, as the sisters presented their work to an inspired audience.

Speaking at the event, Chiamaka emphasized the core message of her book: “Waterfalls reminds readers that God is always watching over His people. He doesn’t bring fear — He brings peace, hope, and love. I want readers to find comfort and assurance in that truth.”

For Chiamanda, her book is a message to young people who may feel overwhelmed by life’s pressures: “Do Not Be Afraid is especially for youth navigating difficult times. No matter how hard life gets, you can always find strength and direction in God’s word.”

Writing came naturally to both sisters. Chiamaka recalled, “Even as a child, I loved writing short stories for my siblings. When the opportunity came to publish, I knew it was time to share my message with a wider audience.”

Despite their demanding academic paths, both young women balanced their studies with writing through perseverance and faith.

Chiamanda and Chiamaka are united by a shared dream — to inspire people across the world with their writing.

Chiamaka expressed Further; “Our biggest hope is that these books will reach people who need to know that God is real, that He’s always with them, and that through Him, anything is possible,” Chiamaka said.

With Do Not Be Afraid and Waterfalls, the Ononiwu sisters have not only created literary works — they’ve created lifelines. Their voices, grounded in faith and driven by purpose, remind readers everywhere that even in the darkest moments, God’s light never fades.

Their father, Dr. Charles Ononiwu — a distinguished surgeon and deeply devoted parent — also spoke at the event, sharing the journey from his perspective.

“For me, my number one priority has always been to care for children — not just medically, but also by encouraging them academically and in the basics of life,” he said.

He recounted a moving moment with Chiamanda, who approached him with the idea of sharing her story publicly to inspire others.

“She came to me and said she wanted to talk to her peers, to share how she had been comforted, and to help them see that everything would be okay,” he recalled. “As a father, my role was to guide her. I support both of them, help activate their strengths, and provide direction.”

Dr. Ononiwu made the decision to fund the publication of their books himself, believing in the power of their message.

“I told them, ‘You have something the world needs. You can make an impact in the lives of others,’” he said. “I believe every child has a gift. It is our responsibility as parents not to dismiss them, but to help them discover and nurture their talents.”

He encouraged all parents to support their children’s creative pursuits, noting, “Every person has something special inside them — no one is without talent. It’s just a matter of looking inward, discovering that gift, and sharing it with the world.”

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