PM NEWS
No fewer than 40 teachers and 60 students across 20 schools have been trained on basic first aid skills by the Rescue A Child Initiative, RACI, in partnership with Halespace Ng, in Ipokia Local Government, Ogun State, recently.
The initiative was founded by three Teach for Nigeria Fellows, Ahmed Iyanda, Ajayi Victor, and Fatai Salaudeen, who joined hands to organize specialized training sessions in Ipokia Local Government, Ogun State.
The comprehensive training equipped teachers and students with essential skills to effectively handle emergency situations and manage disasters on school premises.
Speaking at the grand finale, Ahmed Iyanda in his opening remarks highlighted the reason for launching the Initiative, adding that the training sessions, held over a span of several days, provided participants with practical knowledge on a wide range of emergency scenarios, including natural disasters, accidents, cardiopulmonary resuscitation(CPR), and health-related incidents.
The experienced trainers from Federal Road Safety Corps, Idiroko Command and Nurses from General Hospital Idiroko shared valuable insights and best practices, emphasizing the importance of quick and efficient response in critical situations.
Ahmed said, “In Ipokia Local government, we observed that the majority of the schools do not have first-aid boxes and insufficient training for teachers and management to address student health needs. This indicates that teachers in public schools face difficulties meeting the medical needs of children when they fall ill, even before they can be taken to a hospital for further treatment. Malnutrition-related illnesses prevent students from attending school, with approximately 2-3 pupils being sent home due to sickness and 5–10 pupils absent daily due to health issues. This situation negatively impacts the well-being of learners and hinders their learning in the classroom.”
“The Rescue A Child Initiative aims to organize health education and first aid training for public school teachers, parents, and students in order to equip them with the right knowledge on how to handle, manage, and provide support to children…