The United Nations Children’s Fund and Ogun State House of Assembly, on Thursday, signed a certificate of commitment to reducing out-of-school children in the state.
The certificate of commitment was signed when the UNICEF Chief of Lagos Field Office, Mrs Celine Lafoucriere, and her team paid an advocacy visit to the state legislators on the reduction of out-of-school children in the state.
The meeting was held at the Assembly Complex, Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta.
Speaking during the courtesy call, Lafoucriere explained that the team was ready to partner with the assembly members to address the growing rate of out-of-school children.
She explained that the menace was a major concern to the international body.
Lafoucriere opined that UNICEF Nigeria had prioritised acceleration of action on the reduction of out-of-school children in the state and Nigeria.
She revealed that according to the UBEC national audit, there are still 10.2 million out-of-school children at the primary level and another 8.1 million out-of-school children at the junior secondary level.
She pointed out that one in four Nigerian children, that is 25.3 per cent of school-age children do not attend school, according to the Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS) 2021, thereby making Nigerians’ out-of-school population 15 per cent of the world’s total.
Lafoucriere stated that although gender parity in education is improving in Nigeria, significant gaps remain for children in rural areas and from the poorest families.
She disclosed that UNICEF’s last survey on the out-of-school children in Ogun primary school is 10.3 per cent and 12.1 for the junior school while at the upper secondary school is 20.9 per cent making a total of 43.3 per cent.
Lafoucriere called on the Ogun State House of Assembly to commit to addressing the issues of out-of-school children and reducing the number within their various constituencies.
The Team Lead, UNICEF Education Specialist, Azuka Menkiti, reeled out the results of a survey conducted on out-of-school children in Ogun state.
Menkiti disclosed that Ogun has the highest rate of out-of-school children in the Southwest region.
She said, “UNICEF identified multiple barriers that make the reasons why children may not be attending school.
“Poverty is the biggest barrier to school access, exacerbated by school fees and other costs of education,”.
Menkiti said that there was a need to work with traditional leaders, families and other stakeholders to organise enrolment campaigns for out-of-school children in the state.
“There is a need to Increase the state ministry’s budget allocation to provide school supplies, infrastructure and more teachers,” she said.
Responding, the Speaker, Oludaisi Elemide agreed that there was an urgent need for the state to take steps to address the problem of out-of-school children.
Elemide promised effective collaboration with UNICEF to restore the glory of Education in the state.
“We are willing to partner, we want to improve the standard of education in our state,” he said.
