Commission Underway To Cater For Out-of-School Children

The House of Representatives has held a hearing on a Bill to establish the National Commission for Almajiri Education, for pupils and children who do not go to school with the aim of reducing the number of out-of-school children on the streets.

The problem of out-of-school children has continue to be a major challenge that causes problems of lack of education, poverty and security especially in the North-western part of Nigeria.

It is for this reason that the previous governments have tried to create a good system of university education so that it will be in line with the modern education system and it was believed that it will help in reducing various problems caused by the challenge of out-of-school children.

Consequently, a member of the House of Representatives from Sokoto State, Dr. Shehu Balarabe Kakale, sponsored the Bill, which seeks to establish a Board that will oversee the education of children who do not have access to school so that it will provide a good education system that will solve the problem of ignorance, and provide jobs for the youth.

The Bill has now passed the second reading stage in the House and has received significant support from stakeholders who attended the Public Hearing held by the House on Tuesday.

In her speech, the chaiman of the Grassroots for Better Nigeria Initiative (GBN), Ambassador Dr. Fatima Goni, who is also one of those who have made significant contributions in the effort to create a law to establish a board for the care of children, said that the reason they supported the proposed law was because their organization has the idea of helping the poor, especially the out-of-school children.

The leader of the organization stated this through her spokesperson, Hajiya Riskatu Abdulaziz, at the hearing.

“For a long time, we also wanted to create such a law to establish the agency, the reason is that our organization wants to help the poor, especially the students, that’s why we are happy and welcome this thing,” said Dr. Fatima Goni.

For his part, the sponsor of the Bill, Hon. Kakale said: “Reforming the school system and improving it, it will provide Nigeria with wealth, it will make people participate in business, technology and creativity and generate more income for Nigeria than expected.

“This system is to build the community and the government will get more income because the community will be built, everyone will be self-reliant, industries will rise, agriculture will develop and there will be security,” he added.

However, despite the importance of establishing the board as canvassed by some stakeholders, the Federal Ministry of Education did not support the Bill.

Speaking on the Ministry’s objection to the proposed agency, Hon. Shehu Kakale said; “The only reason is that she said that the government does not have enough money, the money in her pocket will finish”

The public hearing was attended by stakeholders in the field of education, including government officials, religious scholars and traditional rulers, among others.