60% out-of-school children are in the North – Kaduna gov’t

Kaduna State Universal Basic Education Board (KADSUBEB) has lamented that about 60 per cent of out-of-school children reside in Northern Nigeria.

According to the board, 1 out of 5 out-of-school children globally is a Nigerian.

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Speaking at the distribution of Learning materials to learners in public basic schools across the state, Permanent Member Schools from the board, Mr Samaila Liman, described the situation as worrisome.

He said based on the disturbing statistics about the out-of-school children, there is a need for all stakeholders to help in reducing the figures across the country, Kaduna in particular.

He said the board had reached over 2,000 parents to sensitize them to the need to educate their children.

According to him, the state government has also provided 838 non-formal educational centres to accommodate all out-of-school children in the state.

“The statistics have shown that in the world, 1 out of 5 out-of-school children is a Nigerian. And 60 per cent of this number are found in Northern Nigeria, in which Kaduna State is one of them,” he said.

He explained that the distribution of the learning material was part of the board’s effort to address the issue and to retain the remaining children in schools.

He said 247,000 exercise books, 247,000 school bags, 247,000 mathematical sets, among other learning materials would be distributed to the pupils in public schools to ensure quality learning.

The acting Governor, Hadiza Balarabe, represented by her Special Assistant on Capital Human Development, Sagir Balarabe Musa, said over 500 public schools had been renovated across the state by the current administration.

He said the new schools include science schools, adding that the state government had also raised school enrollment to over one million in the state.

“The more children have access to books, the better their lives,” she said.

The wife of the state Governor, Hadiza El’rufai, ccommended KADSUBEB for providing the learning materials to the children in the state.