Children from the Child Rights Advocacy Club in Mashi council area of Katsina have raised serious concerns about worsening climate-related and environmental conditions that are affecting their safety and education.

The children made their voices known during an advocacy visit to the Mashi council chairman and the district head of Mashi on Sunday, calling on authorities to act swiftly.

The event was supported by Save the Children International, through the Education Cannot Wait-funded project.

The children also warned that the deteriorating state of their school environments poses a direct threat to their health, safety, learning, and overall well-being.

Speaking on behalf of their peers, the young advocates said they represented children across their communities who face similar challenges daily. They highlighted how the combined effects of climate change and poor environmental practices have made schools increasingly unsafe and unconducive for learning.

As part of their advocacy, A’isha Mutaka called for the provision of safe and reliable water sources in schools to safeguard students’ health, especially during flood periods.

They pleaded for clean, safe, and well-maintained toilets with hand-washing facilities to stop open defecation and reduce the spread of disease.

One of the children, Halimatu Yusuf, urged authorities to improve waste management and rehabilitate drainage systems in their communities, to prevent blocked waterways and reduce flooding around schools.

Salamatu Mohammed advocated aggressive tree-planting campaigns, stricter enforcement against deforestation, and the creation of green school environments to reduce heat and protect schools from climate risks.

Also, Abdulhamid Surajo stressed the need to strengthen school security by fencing school compounds, deploying guards to protect school property, stopping grazing within school compounds, and supporting school gardens.

He identified some of the most affected schools as Government Pilot Secondary School Majigiri, Afadu Primary School, and Doguru Primary and Secondary Schools.

Responding to the children’s concerns, the Mashi council chairman, Salisu Kallah, assured that the council would take concrete steps to address the issues raised. He pledged to revisit existing measures banning illegal tree cutting and to work towards creating safer and more conducive learning environments.

The district head of Mashi, Kabir Aminu, called for the establishment of school environmental clubs and community initiatives to combat degradation and promote sustainability.

(NAN)