The Minister of State for Education, Yusuf Sununu, has lamented the growing number of out-of-school children (OOSC) in Northern Nigeria, deeming it both “unacceptable” and “disheartening.”
Speaking on Monday at the Bauchi State 2023 Education Summit at Sultan Sa’ad Abubakar Hajj Camp in Bauchi, Sununu stated that there is a need for the urgency of concerted efforts to address and reverse this troubling trend.
He noted that at the federal level, the newly established National Commission for Almajiri and Out-of-School Children is set to commence activities, adding that the Commission will address issues and develop mechanisms for the integration of Tsanga/Madarasa schools to be integrated into basic education.
“The rising figure of out-of-school children in Nigeria and most particularly in the northern part of Nigeria is not only unacceptable but disheartening.
“There must be concerted efforts to address and reverse the trend of this time-bomb phenomenon. At the federal level, the newly established National Commission for Almajiri and Out-of-Schoo Children is set to commence activities,” he said.
“The Commission will address issues and develop mechanisms for the integration of Tsanga/Madarasa schools to be integrated into basic education.”
According to the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), one in three children in Nigeria are out of school, totaling 10.2 million at the primary level and 8.1 million at the junior secondary school (JSS) level.
Acknowledging the sector’s enormous challenges, Sununu stressed the need for collective efforts by all stakeholders to combat the issues, including the out-of-school children syndrome, poor teacher quality, inadequate learning environments, gender inequality, and discrimination.
Join our twitter community :