FG, Sultan Sign MoU To Return Out-Of-School Children To Classrooms

The federal government has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with traditional rulers to reduce the number of out-of-school children through a programme aimed at securing their readmission into classrooms.

The agreement was signed on Wednesday in Argungu, Kebbi State, by the Sultan of Sokoto, His Eminence, Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, and the Deputy Executive Secretary of the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), Dr Abdulrazaq Akinyele, who represented the Executive Secretary.

The partnership between UBEC and the Sultan Foundation for Peace and Development, representing the traditional institution, produced the Advancing Basic Education Partnership Programme (AGE), a strategic initiative designed to transform basic education across Nigeria through the influence of traditional and religious leaders.

The programme seeks to bridge high-level education policies with grassroots engagement and is being implemented as a pilot project in four states: Adamawa, Katsina, Sokoto and Osun.

Speaking at the event, the Sultan pledged the commitment of traditional rulers to tackling child street begging and returning children to school.

He said begging was not sanctioned by Islam and called for collective efforts to get children off the streets and back into classrooms.

“Begging is not sanctioned by Islam. We are committed to returning street kids back to school. People, especially the well-to-do, should also extend high benevolence to orphans. There are plenty of orphans roaming the streets, comprising mostly those who lost their parents to insurgency and banditry,” he said.

The Sultan also commended the Kebbi State Government and Governor Nasir Idris for taking over the Argungu Orphanage to ensure proper care and formal supervision.

The Deputy Governor of Kebbi State, Senator Umar Abubakar Tafida, who represented the governor, formally received the administration of the orphanage on behalf of the state government.

Meanwhile, the First Lady of Kebbi State, Hajiya Zainab Nasare Nasir Idris, through her NGO, Nasara Foundation, in partnership with UBEC and the Sultan Foundation, provided skills acquisition materials to 150 Qur’anic schools across the state’s four emirates.

The materials, covering tailoring, carpentry and shoemaking, are intended to equip pupils with vocational skills for productive engagement and self-reliance.

The host, the Emir of Argungu, Alhaji Sama’ila Muhammadu Mera, commended the First Lady for her support, particularly her monthly donation of N1 million towards the upkeep of the orphanage.

The orphanage was reportedly built three years ago by a philanthropist.