Vice President Kashim Shettima has called for a concerted effort to tackle the out-of-School children crisis in the country, saying that children “abandoned to the streets are a liability that the nation will one day pay for.”
Shettima who spoke at the International Conference on Girl Child Education in Nigeria at the Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa, Organised by the Nigerian Governors Forum (NGF) noted that the dignity of the girl child defined every civilisation, noting that Nigeria was bound by a duty higher than merely observing the challenges before the country.
The vice president who was represented by Senator Ibrahim Hadejia, the Deputy Chief of Staff to the President, said, “The statistics of our out-of-school children in Nigeria are a stark reminder of the urgency of this mission. The latest multiple indicator cluster survey showed that 25.6% of children of primary school age are out of school, and this rate rises to 29.6% for secondary school age children. Each child abandoned to the streets is a liability that the nation will one day pay for.
“We must therefore remember that the child who remains out of school today will be a threat to their peer in the classroom tomorrow, and we cannot afford to turn away from this reality, and the need for creative and innovative solutions is now more present than ever.”
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Shettima said education of the girl child was more than a moral obligation, noting that the for every additional year a girl remained in school, her future earning potential increased, infant mortality rates decreased, and the poverty level in communities reduced.
He said, “We see this reflected in the gender parity index, which shows that girls have almost caught up with boys at the primary school level with a ratio of 0.99 and even surpassed boys at secondary school level with a ratio of 1.08. These gains are, however, at risk unless we intensify our interventions to reach every girl, particularly in areas where barriers remain strongest.
“This is why, at the National Economic Council, we have set out to guarantee the future of a girl child, adopting education as one of our critical thematic areas of intervention, alongside health, nutrition and employability in a rapidly changing world.”
The vice president said available data emphasized the urgency of addressing these issues, particularly in northern Nigeria, adding, “states in the North West and North East face the highest out-of-school rates. In Kebbi, Zamfara, and Bauchi for example, more than 60% of primary school age children are not in school with Kebbi at a staggering 64.8%. The secondary school numbers are similarly alarming with Bauchi at 66.75% Kebbi at 63.8% and Jigawa, at 62.6%.”
He however said in 2024, states committed 2.4 trillion to education, while the federal government allocated 2.2 trillion.
“Although states have 14% of their budgets dedicated to education, we must aim higher. Our campaign to see 15 to 20% of state budget allocated to education is not just a target, but a necessity as it is the surest way to guarantee the future of our children and our nation.
“The risk posed by each out of school child should concern us all, and what we need is a concerted, multi sectoral approach. The Federal Government, states, local governments, civil society and our partners in the donor community must come together with a singular focus, ensuring that every Nigerian child, regardless of gender or geography, receives quality education,” he added.
On his part, Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman, said the Federal Government would come up with a framework that will ensure quality education in the country.
Mamman said, “From today, you will hear a lot about the framework that will deliver and ensure quality education for young people and education that will also allow them to acquire some skills. By the time a child finishes basic education at secondary school, even without going to university, they will have acquired skills that they can connect with society.
“We also thank the international organisations because addressing issues of out-of-school children is a global phenomenon, not just for Nigeria. Once Nigeria gets it right, from what I have seen in my interface with the international community, everybody is optimistic because the figures are either gratifying or down casting.”
In his welcome address, the Director General of the Nigerian Governors Forum, Abdullateef Shittu who delivered the message of the Chairman of the Forum and Governor of Kwara, Abdulrahman AbdulRazak said the NGF was deeply concerned by the rising number of out-of-school children, pervasive learning poverty, and the insufficient capacity of teachers to foster empowerment through education.
He however said there was renewed vigor in advocating for increased education financing by the states, stating that “In 2022, states allocated N1 trillion (12%) of their total expenditures to education.”
“This increased to N1.6 trillion in 2023 and further to N2.4 trillion in 2024, alongside the federal allocation of N2.2 trillion. Notably, states such as Lagos, Enugu, Kaduna, Abia, Ogun, Kano, Oyo, Jigawa, Niger, Akwa Ibom, and Kwara have made substantial contributions, with many meetings or exceeding the international benchmark of allocating at least 15% of their budgets to education.
“These efforts underscore the positive trajectory of education financing by sub national governments,” he added.
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