As part of activities marking the day of The African Child on Monday, reigning FIFA Under-17 champion, the Golden Eaglets, has endorsed the ‘No Barriers to Education’ campaign, an initiative launched by Philip Obaji, a World at School Global Youth Ambassador.
Members of the Nigeria U-17 football team, the Golden Eaglets, showing their support for ‘No Barriers To Education Campaign’.
Obaji said it was imperative that pressure be brought on those who should play a role in educating a child to breakdown stumbling blocks to school enrolment and completion, quality of learning and global citizenship.
He said: “As kids who have attended school, members of the Golden Eaglets understand the importance of education, but too many of their contemporaries don’t.
“Education is the reason these players can live their dream, but for 10.5 million Nigerian children, there might never be such luck.”
His view was supported by Golden Eaglets’ captain, Kelechi Nwakali, and speedy striker, Kehinde Ayinde, who noted that footballers with meaningful education would in the long run have a beneficial life long after their careers.
“Education is important because it improves our understanding of the game. We pray that every Nigerian child would have the opportunity of going to school,” said Ayinde, a senior secondary (SS) student.
Nwakali equally said he was happy with the campaign, adding that going to school has really improved the quality of his game as well as his disposition to life.
He said: “I want to use this opportunity to call on parents and guardians to ensure that they enrol their children in school.
“We are happy with the campaign and we say there should be no barriers to education.”