A Professor of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, Beatrice Opeolu, has expressed concern over the rising number of the out-of-school-children in Ogun State and other parts of the country.
According to UNICEF, the number of Out-of-School Children (OOSC) has constantly grown, rising from about 10.5 million in 2013 to about 18.3 million in 2024, despite many efforts to address the situation.
In Ogun state, an average of 10.3% was recorded for primary school age, 12.1% for junior secondary school and 20.5 % for upper secondary schools.
The Ogun State-born Professor expressed concern over the increasing number during the distribution of educational materials to over 700 public primary school students in Imasayi, Yewa North East Local Government of the State.
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The materials include, a dedicated school bag, 6 exercise books and a water bottle for each student at Ansarudeen Primary School and Christ Church Primary School.
The professor, based in South Africa, said the philanthropic exercise is her way of fulfilling her pledge to God and herself and giving back to the community and the school where she started from.
She cited Imasayi as her birthplace and Ansarudeen Primary School as the starting point of her education, where she graduated from in 1977.
Speaking on the alarming rate of out of school children, the professor advised parents and the government to look inward and invest in indigent students whom she said have potential to drive change for the global community.
“It is sad and I guessed there is nothing new under the earth. I remember when I finished my primary school education in 1977. I remembered my cousin that couldn’t go to school because their parents couldn’t afford their education.
“So, they were older than me but I finished my higher education before them because I have a committed parent that was willing to pay for my education,” she said.
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