Children’s Day 2025: Ondo Government Launches New Initiative to Promote Child Welfare

Ondo  Govt unveils programme for 2025 children's day celebration

By Josephine Oguntoyinbo 

The Government of Ondo State has unveiled a series of activities to commemorate the 2025 Children's Day celebration.

Addressing journalists at a press conference held at the Women Affairs Hall, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Women Affairs and Social Development, Dr Seun Osamaye, noted that the National Children’s Day is celebrated annually to honour, recognise, and identify with children across the state, particularly those in primary and secondary schools.

She explained that the purpose is to inform and sensitise children about the government’s efforts to improve their lives and to ensure continuous investment in child development and education across the state.

“For this year, we have introduced new innovations into the celebration, marking a clear departure from past events. Governor Aiyedatiwa has affirmed that his administration will prioritise social welfare, development, and healthcare access for children.

“This year’s celebration will go beyond the usual fanfare. It will highlight the intellectual capabilities of our children, especially in the areas of knowledge identification and reward for excellence.”

She revealed that several competitions would be held in different categories to identify outstanding students, who will represent their schools and local government areas. The aim, she said, is to encourage intellectual growth, a reading culture, and academic seriousness among pupils and students.

“To kick off, we are holding a workshop for key stakeholders in the state’s education sector today. Participants include representatives from the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Women Affairs, SUBEB, local government service commissions, as well as school principals, headteachers, ZEOs, and AEOs.”

She added that the workshop, chaired by the SUBEB Chairman, would also feature the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, who would speak on the Child Rights Law.

The theme of this year’s celebration is “Stand Up, Speak Up: Building a Bully-Free Generation.” According to her, the initiative is designed to ensure all stakeholders align with the outlined activities and take the message back to their respective schools and institutions, in preparation for the upcoming competitions.

Mrs Osamaye disclosed that on Tuesday, the State Children's Parliament would visit the State House of Assembly to observe plenary proceedings and interact with the Speaker.

“The Ondo State Children's Parliament, which has been moribund for over a decade, is being revived. Tomorrow, the children will be introduced to the Speaker and will observe plenary with the assistance of Safety Children International.”

She stated that the children would participate in a two-day orientation programme between Wednesday and Thursday, where they would be trained on their parliamentary roles and responsibilities.

On Friday, there will be a pre-rehearsal for the main event scheduled for next week Tuesday. Activities for that day include a series of competitions.

According to her, the first event will be a public speaking competition based on the theme, involving 18 selected schools, each represented by its best speaker. A total of 2,500 children from 100 schools across the state are expected to attend.

She further revealed that each school would also present a cultural display to showcase the unique heritage of their locality. There will also be a march-past.

 Osamaye announced that winners of the competitions would be rewarded with cash prizes. The first-place winner will receive a grand prize of ₦500,000; the second-place winner, ₦200,000; and the third-place winner, ₦100,000.

“These prizes and trophies are meant to promote unity, love, and active engagement among our students",she concluded.