Addressing the issue of out-of-school children in Nigeria, particularly in the North, requires a nuanced understanding of social, economic, and cultural factors that contribute to the problem. Nigeria’s northern region has historically faced significant challenges in providing universal access to education, leading to an alarming number of children out of school. However, a closer look reveals that this is not …

The Unity Schools Old Students Association (USOSA) on Friday called on states to collaborate in a bid to address the growing number of out-of-school children in the country. The association also reaffirmed its commitment to engaging stakeholders to improve the quality of education in Nigeria. The President-General of USOSA, Michael Magaji, stated this during a news conference in Abuja on …

The Senate, on Wednesday, passed a resolution to organise a national summit to address the menace of out-of-school children in the country. The Red Chamber took the decision after considering a report of its committee on Education (Basic and Secondary) on the  need to tackle the challenges of out-of-school children in the country, presented by its chairman, Usman Adamu. Senate …

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has said that the out-of-school children menace in the country provides a fertile ground for the recruitment of future Boko Haram insurgents if not properly addressed now. Obasanjo said this on Sunday in Bauchi, when he inaugurated the dualised seven-kilometre Awala-Mairuguri Road and 17.70-kilometre Awalah-Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa National Airport Road. He also inaugurated the 30-kilometre …

The Chairman of the Ekiti State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Prof. Femi Akinwumi, has reiterated the state government’s commitment to achieving zero out-of-school children status. Akinwumi said the free and compulsory education policy of Governor Biodun Oyebanji’s administration, the various infrastructure development projects and the encouragement of teachers were part of efforts to achieve zero out-of-school children. The SUBEB …

No fewer than 30 million Almajiri and 20 million out-of-school children are roaming about and in need of attention, a government official has said. The Executive Secretary of the National Commission for Almajiri and Out-of-School Children’s Education (NCAOOSCE), Dr Muhammad Idris, disclosed this on Thursday in Abuja. Speaking at the inauguration of an eight-man committee to reform the Almajiri education, …

Prominent northern leaders have blamed the scourge of out-of-school children on the failure of state and local governments to make sufficient investments in basic education. The leaders, who spoke in separate interviews with Sunday PUNCH, also identified indoctrination and insurgency as some of the factors responsible for the millions of out-of-school children in Nigeria particularly in the northern region. According …

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and Ogun State House of Assembly, on Thursday, signed a certificate of commitment to reduce the number of out-of-school children in the state. The certificate of commitment was signed when UNICEF Chief of Lagos Field Office, Mrs Celine Lafoucriere and her team paid an advocacy visit to the State House of Assembly on the …

Niger State government has set a target to enrol about 600,000 out-of-school children back to school in collaboration with the World Bank-assisted Adolescent Girls Initiative for Learning and Empowerment (AGILE). The Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education in the state, Dr Hadiza Asabe Mohammed, said this at a press conference on the ‘Enrollment Drive Campaign with the Adolescent Girls Initiative …

Kaduna State Government on Friday signed a Contribution Agreement between UNICEF and its Reaching Out-of-School Children Project with the aim of reintegrating 200,000 out-of-school children back to the classroom. Speaking at the signing ceremony, the State Deputy Governor, Dr. Hadiza Sabuwa Balarabe, who represented Governor Uba Sani, said, the Reaching Out-of-School Children Project is designed to address the high number …