Out-of -School Children Threatening National Development – Board Scribe

The executive secretary, Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), Aisha Garba, has expressed concern over the worrisome trends of out-of- school children, regretting that the menace impinges negatively on children’s future and national development.

She underscored the importance of accelerating enrollment drive as one of the strategies that would help reduce out-of-school children in Nigeria.

Garba said the federal government through UBEC, was determined to make sure all children of school-going age were enrolled, retained in a complete basic education that would equip them with basic numeracy and literacy skills.

Speaking at the just- concluded South -South regional enrollment flag -off towards reducing out-of-school children in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State capital, the UBEC chief, who was represented by her Special Assistant (SA), Ibrahim Gold, stated that the Commission has provided complementary intervention towards enhancing the learning environment.

She listed increased teaching and learning materials supplies to schools, improved teacher availability and quality, and widened opportunities for stakeholder participation in school management through the School-Based Management Committees (SBMCs) to reduce out-of-school children as some of the interventions.

“In our quest to swiftly address the OOSC phenomenon, UBEC collaborated with UNICEF to develop a Framework of Action on Out-of-School Children which serves as a roadmap.

“It emphasizes innovative enrolment drive models, shared best practices, and state-led campaigns aligned with national education priorities.

“Therefore, our enrolment drive is a critical endeavour that requires the active participation and engagement of all stakeholders; by working together, we can identify and address the challenges that hinder enrolment, develop effective strategies to promote education and ultimately increase access to quality education for all,” she stated.

Responding, the state governor, Pastor Umo Eno, said the government was tackling the issue of out-of-school children by sustaining the free education policy for primary and secondary schools, and the construction of model primary schools across the state.

Eno who was represented by the Commissioner for Education, Prof Ubong Umoh, said that “the model primary schools’ pupils are given free books, free uniforms, and shoes,” noting that the concept has increased school enrolment by four times in the last two years.

“In Akwa Ibom State, we have intentionally approached the issue of out-of-school children holistically. We believe that no child should be left alone, neither should the circumstance of one’s birth foreclose the legitimate right for a child to enjoy quality education, which would in future lift the child from poverty.

“That is the reason we have sustained the free education from primary to secondary policy of previous administrations in the State and have gone ahead to construct model primary schools with modern facilities and living quarters for teachers, all aimed at bringing back what we once had. Christ the King Model Primary School, the venue of this event, was the first of such model schools to be constructed.

“The pupils here and all other such model primary schools are given free books, free uniforms, and shoes, and this has seen our school enrolment quadruple in the last two years. We are also retraining our primary school teachers and have recruited hundreds of new ones who are exposed and equipped with modern teaching techniques.

“We are also building model secondary schools that can compare with any such the world over in the three senatorial districts, as well as the generous grants and bursaries we have availed our students in tertiary institutions,” he stated.