The Lagos State government has called for the enactment of a birth control law as a strategy to address the growing issue of out-of-school children in Nigeria.
The number of out-of-school children has reportedly risen to approximately 18 million nationwide.
During a regional meeting held in Ibadan, Oyo State, the Lagos State Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Jamiu Alli-Balogun, emphasised the need for a legal framework on birth control to tackle this challenge.
The session, themed “Children Retention, Transition, and Completion: Models for the Southwest States,” was organised by the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) in collaboration with the Oyo State Ministry of Education.
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The event brought together commissioners for education, religious leaders, civil society organisations, and media practitioners from Lagos, Ondo, Osun, Ogun, Ekiti, and Oyo states.
“The out-of-school children crisis can be mitigated by implementing birth control measures in Nigeria,” Alli-Balogun said.
“If we continue to have uncontrolled births with limited resources, progress will be difficult to achieve. Therefore, the federal government should consider enacting legislation to establish a standard family size in Nigeria. Without such measures, we will remain trapped in this ongoing problem,” he added.
Alli-Balogun highlighted that the Lagos State government has already implemented initiatives aimed at reducing the number of out-of-school children in the state.
He noted that the government, with the support of other stakeholders, is working to remove children from the streets.
UNICEF Education Specialist, Azuka Mentiki, reiterated the organisation’s dedication to creating an enabling environment that strengthens states’ efforts to provide students with access to quality education.
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