By Felix Khanoba
Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, has called for a review of approaches geared towards addressing out-of-school children (OSC) menace in the country.
The minister made the call while declaring open National Conference on Out Of School Children in Nigeria on Monday in Abuja.
Represented by the Director of Basic Education at the Federal Ministry of Education, Dr Folake Davies, Adamu, noted that Nigeria’s education is too strategic and too sensitive to be left in the hands of the government alone.
He challenged all stakeholders to bring to bear greater courage to reposition basic education in Nigeria.
According to him, ” The federal government has made significant investment in the sector and provided quality education in response to our developmental needs”
” The ministry has taken steps to strengthen inter-agencies programmes that target OSC phenomenon. We plan for the open school programme that will help OSC to access learning opportunities”
“There is therefore need for all and sundry to show commitment towards the success of addressing the phenomenon for better outcomes,” he added
The Chairman House Committee, Prof. Julius Ihonvbere, identified political will, consistency in policy delivery as major factors needed to addressing the Out of School Menace in Nigeria
He called on Presidential Candidates in the Nigeria’s 2023 election to prioritize the issue of OOSC and answer several questions emanating from the challenges posed by the menace.
According to him, ” the challenge we see at the House of Representatives is poor leadership ,lack of commitment, and we also see poor deliver of services”
“OSC is more dangerous than Banditry and it is as if we are breeding an army of threats to the nation , so to say political leaders should take the issue as priority is an understatement as a matter of fact we will request that all Presidential candidates should tell us what they will do with OOSC problem Nigeria is facing”Prof. Ihonbere added.
On his part, Executive Secretary of Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) , Dr Hamid Bobboyi, identified the need for development partners to re-strategise and synergise better to be on the same.page in tackling the OSC problem.
Dr. Bobboyi said for Nigeria to meet up the needs of children who trek to post basic schools across the nation’s, Nigeria need a total of 20,000 Junior secondary school,which he said must be within 3km.
“There is need to plan together and ensure that resources are judiciously utilised to have collective results”
“We must also take full responsibility for our actions or lack of them and be able to recieve enlightenment on education and society and enlighten our communities the truth about lifestyle which encourages child neglect and out of school phenomenon”
He tasked stakeholders to take responsibility in addressing the issue of enlargement of communities while the government and other partners revamp the basic education sub sector.
Also speaking at the event, United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF)
Nigeria Chief Education specialist, Saadhna Panday, acknowledged that the world is facing unprecedented OOSC crisis.
According to her, “244million children are out is school globally with a chunk.of them in Africa and South Asia, this is majorly caused by COVID 19 , schools were closed intermittently and this affected all schools across the globe”
Panday identified economic status and location of schools as major challenge hindering enrolment of children in schools.
The UNICEF Chief mentioned that Nigeria has recorded major progress in enrollment of girls into school.
She further added that poverty is a major force driving the OOSC phenomenon in Nigeria.
Country Representative of World Bank in Nigeria , Dr. Tunde Adekola , called for timely and reliable management of data.
He tasked the government on adequate coordination of coalition of partners both actors and non actors.
Earlier, the Director Social Mobilisation of the Universal Basic Education Commission, Dr Ossom Ossom, said findings as well as learning from other partners at the 2 day conference will inform the design of a framework for action to reduce out of school children in Nigeria.
“The framework for action will act as a governing document to the government of Nigeria and it’s development partners in addressing OOSC over the coming three years, including a yearly review of progress ,challenges and the way forward”.
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