An education specialist with the United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF), Mrs. Azuka Menkiti, has said that Radio is expanding access to education and creating more opportunities for quality learning.
According to Menkiti, engaging radio for learning has created a new world and it showcases the new role it plays beyond the dissemination of news and entertainment.
She explained that radio which was mostly known for entertainment and dissemination of news has played more significant roles in the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.
She said: “During the peak of Covid-19 pandemic, when schools were closed everybody quickly went to the Radio, In Nigeria during the lockdown, all stakeholders were concerned about learning, it did not stop, despite that children were at home, learning continued via radio, UNICEF organised stakeholders to consider strategies through which Radio stations could help while children were at home, that worked so well for us.”
Menkiti stressed that the Covid-19 pandemic presented opportunities for new initiative further positioning radio as a source and channel of learning.
She added that the Covid-19 has revealed the New world in radio and also has shown other ways that the world can use radio to improve mankind and development of human being.
Speaking on facilitating learning through radio for Girls and Adults during the pandemic, the UNICEF Specialist stated that UNICEF reached out to many girls in the rural communities than ever possible via radio.
“As soon as COVID 19 surfaced and schools were closed, UNICEF translated some aspect of the curriculum into audio and that was how we started broadcasting through radio stations, we realised that radio has the widest reach of listeners, it became a viable channel to reach the girl who sits in the rural community even when the teacher/facilitator broadcasts from a particular location, we were sure that the girl who would have been sent out on different house chores is allowed to sit for about two hours in the house within the pandemic to learn
“For the adult, the radio literacy programme was consistent in reaching them so radio has helped in reaching out to those who were not able to attend lectures in the classroom,” she said.
Meanwhile, United Nations International Children’s Education Fund (UNICEF) has said that the outbreak of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) will not stop its support and interventions toward the welfare and protection of rights of children in Nigeria.
Dr Zakari Adam, Chief of Field Office, UNICEF Kaduna who gave the assurance during a telephone interview noted that the outbreak of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) will not stop its support and interventions toward the welfare and protection of rights of children in the country in general.
Adam said the advent of COVID-19 had affected certain activities for children but UNICEF has also taken certain steps to sustain its support for the interventions for children.
According to him, this is to maintain the progress made on the rights and welfare of children in the state.
“New initiatives and measures in providing social services and health intervention for children, children returning to school in remote areas and the general protection of the child have been put in place in partnership with the state government.
“As UNICEF, we will always be available to give the needed support so that the goals on children can be achieved despite the impact of COVID-19.
“And when I am talking of goals, I mean access to social services for children like health, education and what have you.
“Ensuring that children are in school, they have access to potable water, sanitation and hygiene initiatives are effective for children and communities. We will continue to prioritise all these interventions concerning children
“So, our role in UNICEF is to continue to support whatever measures put in place to ensure children are enjoying their basic rights,’’ he said.
