Okorocha Urges Corps Members to Help Educate Out-of-School Children

• Former Governor Rochas Okorocha urged Nigerians to support educating out-of-school children, particularly girls, emphasizing that education is a right
• Okorocha called for community volunteerism and the use of mother-tongue instruction to improve educational outcomes for children in Nigeria

Former Governor of Imo State, Senator Rochas Okorocha, has called on National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members, wealthy individuals, and housewives to assist in educating out-of-school children, particularly girls.

Speaking at a Rochas Foundation event in Abuja to mark the International Day of the Girl-Child, Okorocha emphasized that the government alone cannot solve the country’s education challenges.

He urged people to freely contribute their resources to educate 70% of the girls among the 13 million children currently out of school. Okorocha stressed that education is a right, not a privilege, and advised the government to promote volunteerism to address the issue.

He believes an efficient volunteer system would encourage individuals to offer free tutoring to children in both primary and secondary schools.

Okorocha also supported using the mother tongue in the basic education system, arguing that teaching children in their native languages helps them understand lessons better.

He dismissed the idea that fluency in English should be the measure of intelligence.

At Rochas Foundation College of Africa, which hosts students from 22 African countries, Okorocha noted that over 40,000 students have graduated, calling this achievement a step towards empowering and liberating Africa.

Former Sierra Leone President, Ernest Bai Koroma, also spoke at the event, congratulating the female students and encouraging them to use their education to reshape the world.

He praised Rochas Foundation for its efforts in uniting African students through education and challenged the students to leverage this opportunity to bring positive change to the continent.

The Director-General of Rochas Foundation, Uchechi Rochas, reaffirmed the Foundation’s commitment to empowering women and celebrating the International Day of the Girl-Child. She promised that the Foundation would continue supporting initiatives that elevate women’s role in society.