No fewer than 50 poor and vulnerable out-of-school children were enrolled in a primary school by a non-governmental organisation, Misilli Community Development Foundation.
The pupils drawn from Dawaki ward of Gombe Local Government Area of the state, would benefit from free six years primary school education under the ‘Free Primary School Enrolment Programme’ of the foundation.
Speaking at the flag-off, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Education, Alhaji Abubakar Adamu, commanded the foundation, saying the programme will help to reduce out-of-school children in the state.
He stated that education is not a privilege but a fundamental right that every child should enjoy, describing it as a cornerstone for a brighter future, “and a catalyst for social change and a bedrock for a prosperous nation.
The permanent secretary added that education does not stop at the renovation and construction of new classroom blocks, but covers the mopping of out of school children back to the classrooms.
“The Gombe State Government is most appreciative of this giant stride which supports its determination to revitalise the education system through partnership with similar organisations to reach other vulnerable populations,” he said.
According to him, the initiative is in line with the policy direction of Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, of providing qualitative education for all.
In a remark, Initiator of the foundation, Ismail Uba Misilli, explained that it was established in 2019 in honour of his late father, Alhaji Uba Misilli who advanced the course of human, societal growth and development during his lifetime.
Misilli, who is the Director-General, Press Affairs to Governor Yahaya, assured that the foundation will continue to advance the course of humanity in critical aspects of human and societal development.
Represented by his brother, Abdullahi Misilli, the director-general explained that the first edition of the free primary school enrollment programme is a beginning for more education related intervention projected, to cover primary school, secondary and tertiary education.
“As you all know the government alone cannot do everything, so this foundation decided to come up with this school enrollment programme as a way of complimenting Governor Yahaya’s policy on mopping out of school children across the state,” he said.
Misilli, therefore called on parents whose children benefited from the enrollment programme to make the use of the opportunity by ensuring that their wards do not drop out from the schools.
Daily Trust reports that the children were enrolled in Central Primary School, Bubayero Primary School and Herwagana Primary School, all located in the Gombe metropolis.
