8.7m out-of-school children embarrassing – Minister

Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu, has expressed displeasure over 8.7 million school age going children in the country who are not in school, saying the situation is not only worrisome but highly embarrassing.

He expressed the displeasure in Lagos recently in his remark at a stakeholders’ meeting on basic education Regulators Monitoring Programme organised by the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism (WSCIJ).

Many leaders of government education ministries and agencies, private sector, civil society organisations and the media including the Education Writers’ Association of Nigeria (EWAN) actively participated at the one-day forum.

Represented by the Deputy Director of the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), Technical, Dr. Sharon Oviemuno, the minister said the Boko Haram insurgency in the North East zone of the country where majority of these out-of-school children live contributed largely to the huge figure which is regarded to be the highest in the world according to UNESCO.

He said the government was doing something fast to tackle the problem and further reduce the figure which was even 10.5 million up till last year.

He gave kudos to WSCIJ for organising the forum that could bring about significant development in the country’s education sector, saying only good educational foundation could lead to national development.

The minister however asked the various state governors to buckle up and ensure they access their funds with UBEC to be able to lift their education sector and urged other stakeholders to always collaborate with the government where necessary.

In her own remark, the Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Dr. Idiat Adebule, who was represented at the event by Mrs. Abosede Adelaja said Lagos State government took the issue of education very seriously and as well appreciated the contribution of private schools to the educational needs of the people of the state.

The Registrar and Chief Executive Officer, Teachers’ Registration Council, TRCN, Prof. Segun Ajiboye, on his part, insisted that only the teachers who are licenced as professionals would be allowed to teach students in both the public and private schools from next year.

He said the era of quack teachers had gone forever in Nigeria.

Speaking separately about their experiences on basic education in the country, the World Bank representative, Mr. Solomon Adebayo and the President, National-Teacher Association of Nigeria, Alhaji Haruna Danjuma, said governments and UBEC as well as various SUBEB would need to be more effective and accountable in discharging their responsibilities so as to move the sector to a desirable level.

Explaining the rationale behind the forum, WSCIJ’s Coordinator, Mrs. Motunrayo Alaka, said the round-table was geared towards media reporting of the activities of basic education regulators in the country in a bid to promote proactive disclosure of information, transparency and accountability for the good of the sector and the country at large.