By Cheta Enyoghasi
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) recently established partnerships with Southwest states to address the issue of out-of-school children in the region and investigate the core causes of the problem.
UNICEF expressed concern about the number of children who are not in school and emphasized the importance of states implementing the retention, transition, and completion approach.
According to the international body, during a two-day stakeholders’ meeting on Out-of-School Children (OOSC) Models, Retention Transition and Completion (RTC), and Re-entry Guideline Activities for South-West Nigeria in collaboration with the Oyo State Ministry of Education, it said efforts must be directed toward developing long-term solutions to ensure that every child has the opportunity to receive an education.
Babagana Aminu a UNICEF education specialist reported that in the Southwest, around 8% of children are out of school, according to a multiple cluster indicator survey conducted by NBS.
He said, “In terms of being out of school in the Southwest, almost on average, putting all six states together according to the multiple cluster indicator survey that was conducted by NBS, it shows that about 8 percent of children are out of school.”
Another UNICEF Education Specialist, Azuka Menkiti, stressed the need for increased funding for secondary schools, citing successful interventions in girls’ education for the past decade.
Dr. Olabimpe Aderiye, Commissioner for Education in Ekiti, emphasized that every state and region has its own unique challenges when it comes to out-of-school children, while Prof. Abayomi Arigbabu, Commissioner for Education, Science, and Technology in Ogun State, stated that his state government was already addressing issues and all factors that were indirectly affecting children.
Mr. Laolu Akindolire, Ondo State Commissioner for Education, Science, and Technology, added that all reasons contributing to students dropping out of school have previously been addressed in the state.
