The Roli Mabo Foundation has developed a handful of education intervention techniques over its years of operation but the techniques introduced in the Jakpa community during the COVID-19 pandemic was exceptional.
Our journey to Jakpa, a community in the Niger Delta Creek of Delta State, was necessary. They had no proper healthcare, no means to feed adequately, and no school. Worse, there were a lot of children in the community with no quality education.
According to UNICEF, merely 35.6% of children aged 36 – 59 months receive early childhood education, while just 61% of 6 – 11 year olds routinely attend primary school. The situation is considerably worse in the northern part of Nigeria, where the net attendance percentage is only 53%.
The above stats also apply to other parts of Nigeria, like the Jakpa community. This staggering number triggered our need to come up with effective education intervention techniques, while also considering the swampy environment of the Jakpa community.
Effective Education Intervention Techniques The Roli Mabo Foundation Uses
During our stay in the Jakpa community, we developed innovative ways to tackle healthcare issues and gave out palliatives. But this article will major on us tackling educational problems, like addressing teacher shortages, minimizing absenteeism, handling infrastructure issues, and more.
Are you ready to be inspired? Let’s go!
1. Hiring Private Teachers to Support Government Teachers
For many Nigerian students, overcrowded classrooms are an everyday thing. And, of course, it was also prevalent in the Jakpa community. But we made that a thing of the past by employing private teachers to support the government teachers.
Now, imagine a classroom full of 70 students, a statistic that is all too common in Nigeria. With so many other children, it might be difficult to provide the specific attention that each child deserves. This is where private teachers come in. With the private and government teachers working hand-by-hand, they provide more targeted support and ensure that no child falls behind. And ultimately, the load on the government teachers’ shoulders lightens.
2. Partnership with NYSC to Deploy Corpers
We took advantage of the National Youth Service Corps, or NYSC for short. You know, having enough qualified teachers is important, but sometimes filling the staff room can be heavy on the budget. That’s when the thought of us deploying the National Youth Service Corps hit us. These guys are recent graduates who’ve completed their studies and are now ready to give back to the community. We saw their potential and brought them on board to tackle underserved areas.
Think about it: fresh-faced, enthusiastic young minds joining the classroom alongside experienced government teachers. A win-win situation! It not only lowers the student-teacher ratio but also brings in a younger vibe that might enhance the learning experience. These NYSC graduates become positive role models and mentors, igniting a love for learning in students.
3. Enhancement and Resuscitation of Old Schooling Systems
As with many other remote places out there, the school infrastructure in the Niger Delta Creek is subpar. Right before our eyes, these kids had no choice but to learn in a building with peeling paint (worse, most classes had no paint), wobbly desks, and even a leaky roof. It’s no news that poor school infrastructure can decrease learning achievement. However the Roli Mabo Foundation understands the importance of a positive space for students to thrive.
As part of our education intervention technique, we fixed the leaky roofs, improved sanitation, brought in fresh paint, and updated teaching materials. We are basically giving these schools a much-needed makeover, transforming them into places where learning feels exciting and, well, not like a chore! It might sound simple, but these improvements can make a world of difference, creating a positive and stimulating environment that makes learning fun (or at least a whole lot easier)!
4. Provision of School Materials
Ever tried building a magnificent sandcastle without a shovel? It’s not exactly an ideal situation, right? Textbooks, notebooks, and pens are the shovels, buckets, and moats of the learning world. Since we understand this, we have included it among one of the effective education intervention techniques for schools in remote areas.
We saw how students struggled to learn things in theory because of the lack of books and other educational materials. Not to mention dealing with practicals. The Roli Mabo Foundation gets this, which is why we’re on a mission to equip students with the supplies they need to soar. We provide the building blocks for academic adventures; from crisp textbooks bursting with knowledge to colorful notebooks begging to be filled with ideas.
5. Introducing the School Boat System
One impressive education intervention technique we introduced that was instrumental to the kids in Jakpa is the school boat system. Jakpa is a swampy community filled with a network of rivers. This makes the idea for a school boat system very much appreciated.
For students in Jakpa, getting to school can be a logistical nightmare. The Roli Mabo Foundation’s ingenious school boat system in the Niger-Delta creeks bridges this gap, ensuring that distance doesn’t become a barrier to learning.
Conclusion
The educational intervention techniques used by the Roli Mabo Foundation have been helpful to the Jakpa community so far. We are proud to show the world how we are helping the Jakpa community deal with educational issues. From introducing a school boat system to employing private teachers and employing NYSC, the Roli Mabo Foundation is transforming the educational sector in the Niger Delta Creeks.