The Nigerian military has established a school at the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camp located in Bama town, Bama Local Government Area of Borno state, a spokesman said in a statement.
The school, with a population of 3000, was set up by troops of 21 Brigade, 7 Division Nigerian Army, and is made up of six military tents with soldiers not on essential duty serving as teachers.
“In addition, some of the IDPs who were teachers before the their displacement, also teach in the school,” said Army spokesman Sani Usman.
“Presently, the school has a population of over 3,000 children. The Brigade has also establish a section of adult education for women,” he added.
He said “impressed with the laudable initiative, the United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF) also assisted the Brigade with 2 additional tents and school bags for the pupils, while Borno State Urban Education deployed a Principal to assist in running of the school”.
The United Nations Assistant Secretary-General and the Regional Humanitarian Coordinator for the Sahel, Mr Toby Lanzer, and Borno State Government celebrated the recently held World Humanitarian Day with the IDPs in the school and commended the efforts of the Nigerian Army for establishing the school, Colonel Usman said.
“Similarly, an American Non-Government Organization (NGO), Empower54, equally impressed with the fact that “despite the heavy responsibility of fighting off the terrorists daily, the soldiers are making time to teach the children”, appreciates the soldiers of 21 Brigade for their selfless effort by establishing the school in a blog and hashtag, ” he added.