While education is regarded as one of the basic rights of every child, not all children have access to quality education (unicef.org/nigeria.education). The rate of dropouts continues to be surge, even though primary education is officially free and compulsory, as claimed by the Nigerian government.
In 2015, there was a report from UNICEF indicating that Nigeria’s out of school children presently stand at 13.2 million. According to the report, only 61% of 6-11 year-old regularly attend primary school and only 35.6% of children aged 36-59 months receive early childhood education.
Not every child enjoys the right to education for one or two reasons especially, that of poverty. To ensure that children from very poor homes have access to education, COFP, through its scholarship program,supports the education of poor children in the FCT, Abuja annually and this includes paying their first, second and third terms tuition and other fees. During the third term of the 2018/2019 Academic Session, the Foundation granted scholarship to 44 pupils and students in six primary schools and two secondary schools respectively and in 2019/2020 academic year, the Foundation has sponsored the education of 55 destitute children from IDPs and rural poor communities in Abuja. The Foundation has also continuously provided the teaching materials as well as paid the monthly allowances of teachers in Yimitu IDP host community to date.
