From August through October, SS-3 (Senior Secondary Level 3) students in Nigeria take the annual West African Education Exams (WAEC) as preparation for University-level education. Unfortunately, current civil unrest driven by human rights abuses are posing a danger to students commuting to and from school for their exams.
HEAL’s mission territory is in southeast Nigeria, home of the predominantly Christian Igbo tribe. Activist Namdi Kanu has relentlessly criticized the Nigerian government and military for extreme human rights abuses in the region. After the Nigerian military arrested Kanu in April, an Igbo civil rights group recently called for residents to sit at home on Mondays as a form of economic protest!
The military reacted harshly to protesters, cracking down on their freedom of movement and even perpetrating random killings outside the law. People were struck with fear. “Many parents did not allow for their children to go for WAEC exams for fear they might be struck by bullets flying all over,” said Rev. Leo Okonkwo.
But, education is extremely important to Igbos in the southeast. The inevitable friction between the military and the human rights protests did not stop some parents from sending their children to school to take exams. At BOMCA and MENPS, the WAEC exams were administered to 23 graduating senior secondary students.
At the same time, parents don’t want to take unnecessary risks with their children’s safety. So, after completing their exams, students were not sent back home on foot. “Due to the unpredictable violent actions of the military, the MOJ Sisters and our teachers kept the 23 students at BOMCA for a few weeks until the exam period ended,” Rev. Leo said.
Providing a few weeks of shelter and meals for the children added to our expenses. But, keeping them safe during a period of violent civil strife was required by the Spirit of Self-Emptying (Phil. 2:6-11), the core spiritual principle of HEAL’s mission.
I hope you see how HEAL strives to fulfill our mission even in the midst of trials. Please pray for an end to human rights abuses in Nigeria and SUPPORT our cause on behalf of poor and marginalized village children.