The Executive Secretary of Universal Basic Education Commission, UBEC, Dr Hamid Bobboyi, has said Nigeria needs a total of 20,000 Junior secondary schools, located within 3 kilometers to meet the needs of children who trek to post basic schools.
Bobboyi, who spoke at the National Conference on Out-Of-School, OSC, Children in Nigeria, stressed the need for development partners to re-strategise and synergise better to be on the same page in tackling the OSC problem.
“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 said.
Also speaking, UNICEF Nigeria Chief of Education, Saadhna Panday, acknowledged that the world is facing unprecedented Out-Of-School crisis.
According to her, “25million 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.
She noted that Nigeria has recorded major progress in enrollment of girls into school, adding that poverty is a major force driving the OOSC phenomenon in the country.
Country Representative of World Bank in Nigeria, Dr. Tunde Adekola, called for timely and reliable management of data, while tasking the government on adequate coordination of coalition of partners both actors and non-actors.
Declaring the national conference open in Abuja, the Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, noted that Nigeria’s Education is too strategic and too sensitive to be left in the hands of the government.
Represented by the director of basic education in the ministry, Dr Folake Davies, Adamu called for review of approaches to addressing the Out-Of-School crisis.
The minister also 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
