BY TAYE OBATERU
Jos –    Stakeholders in primary education in Plateau State have lamented negative effect of the protracted crisis in the state, noting that it has almost crippled public primary education.

Various speakers emphasized this at a peace building programme for primary school pupils in Jos North Local Government organised by the Centre for the Advocacy of Justice and Rights, CAJR, in conjunction with the Jos Local Government Education Authority.

The programme which had the theme “Enhancing Knowledge and Integrating Primary School Pupils Into The Peace Building Process in Plateau State” brought together pupils from different primary schools, teachers and other stakeholders.

Some of the pupils who spoke in turns lamented that their education was being jeopardized by the unending crisis which often result in disruption of classes.

One of them, Master Samuel Adio from Township Primary School, Jos noted that crises create tension and suspicion among pupils and teachers making the situation inappropriate for learning. He said the bad business environment created by crisis also made it difficult for parents to have enough to meet the educational needs of their children.

Also speaking, another pupil, Miss Peace Tella from Methodist Primary School listed the various negative effects of the problem saying “When crises break out, teaching and learning stop and pupils and teachers are sometimes killed in the violence.Within the period of crises, the school session is stopped and this makes it difficult for the syllabus to be covered.

“Teachers are afraid of going to some areas to teach while in other places, pupils are withdrawn from schools due to displacement of parents and fear of insecurity”.

Director of CAJR, Mr. Gad Peter explained that the program was organized to draw the attention of government, parents, religious leaders, politicians and other stakeholders to the negative effects of crises on education and the need for all to embrace peace.

According to him, “The crises over the last ten years have affected relationships, trust, respect for one another, societal values, quality of education, etc. We are gradually producing a generation of children that know nothing about peaceful co-existence and value for human life and this explains why in the current efforts for the search of peace, children must be involved to prevent a situation where a generation of people will know nothing but violence and accept it a normal way of life”.

Also speaking,the Education Secretary of Jos North LG, Mrs. Chungdung Chom regretted the division of the state capital along religious lines noting that it was not the best for children’s development.

She noted that the seeds of religious tolerance, unity and friendship were best usually instilled in children in schools where they all interact irrespective of differences and hoped the situation would return to normal so that children and teachers can go to school without fear.