Kebbi State Government says 500, 915 out-of-school children in the state would be enrolled in school this year.
The Executive Chairman of Kebbi State Universal Basic Education (SUBEB), Professor Sulaiman Khalid disclosed this Thursday at the flag-off of the national campaign on out-of-school children in Birnin Kebbi.
The state has 814,915 out-of-school children, according to a survey conducted in 2015 by the National Bureau of Statistics.
Khalid said 86,000 out-of-school children returned to school in 2021.
He said of the 500, 915children targeted for enrolment in school, 97,700 are girls, 298,944 Almajirai and 11, 271 nomadic children.
He added that arrangements had been concluded to establish more learning centres to cater for the proposed target.
According to him, there would be a total of 4,915 non-formal learning centres, which would also generate employment for about 10,000 teachers otherwise refer as facilitators.
He said, “We want to enrol a total of 500, 915 out-of-school children back to school this year. We are so ambitious this year in order to drive home equitable opportunities to every child for access to education.
“We are also establishing a total of 4,915 non-formal learning centres across the state, 1,907 learning centres will be established for the girl child and 3,008 for the Almajirai.”
The Minister of State for Education, Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba, said the number of out-of-school children in Nigeria was still high.
“It is, therefore, a foregone conclusion that no nation can make meaningful progress with a high number of its youth as illiterate. High number of out-of-school children is inimical to the economic growth and advancement of any country.”
