National President of the National Council for Women Societies (NCWS), Laraba Shoda, has advised parents to take advantage of the Covid-19 lockdown to form strong bond with their children.
In a statement on the 2020 Children’s Day celebration, she said this year’s Children’s Day was unique because of the pandemic and the lockdown.
“I ask that you observe the necessary preventive measures to stay safe. We wish you the very best as we promise a better celebration come 2021 by God’s Grace,’’ she said.
She urged parents to dutifully play their role in providing the immediate needs for their children, adding that the peace of Nigeria in the future depended on the foundation currently being laid.
According to her, this is an opportunity for mothers to inculcate good moral upbringing and values in their children as this is the best gift for the child.
“Good upbringing, norms, values and proper education will make them stand tall irrespective of the challenges ahead of them.
“As parents, we should note that giving a child all the education in the world, with no moral value means you have trained an incomplete child,’’ she said.
Shoda also called on government at all levels to invest in the future of children by improving quality and affordable education.
She said that children constituted a large per cent of the country’s population, adding that the rate of out- of -school children in the country was worrisome.
”Our children must be given all the necessary care and attention, especially quality education, needed to attain their goals in life.
”As such, government at all levels and other relevant stakeholders must make concerted efforts to provide quality and accessible education to children to safeguard their future,” she said. (NAN)