The Minister of Education, Tahir Mamman, In a recent interview on Channels TV, revealed that over the span of six months since assuming office, his ministry has successfully enrolled over two million students into schools.
This significant achievement is part of the Federal Government’s commitment to resolving the issue of out-of-school children and tackling the systemic flaws that contribute to students being left out of the education system.
“What we’ve been able to do in the last six months since we came on board is to enroll up to two million plus out-of-school children through the help of about four agencies of the ministries.”
“As a matter of fact, we have an agency set up for the specific purpose. We are still waiting for waivers for the head of the service, for requirements and evening secretariat.”
Mamman emphasized the establishment of a dedicated agency within the ministry to address this pressing issue, though certain bureaucratic hurdles still need to be overcome before the agency can commence its operations fully.
Despite these challenges, Mamman reassured that efforts have been continuous and proactive in ensuring that progress is made in getting more children into classrooms.
Regarding the accuracy of the UNESCO data, which suggests that over 20 million Nigerian children are out of school, Mamman acknowledged the discrepancies but affirmed the ministry’s dedication to obtaining precise figures.
He stressed the importance of accurate data for effective policy implementation and improvement of the education system nationwide.
While the government works towards obtaining accurate statistics, Mamman reiterated that the immediate focus remains on addressing the plight of the millions of children currently not integrated into the education sector.
This issue is one of the key pillars guiding the ministry’s actions, underscoring the urgency and significance of resolving the out-of-school children crisis.
The latest UNESCO report paints a concerning picture, indicating that Nigeria accounts for a significant portion of out-of-school children in Sub-Saharan Africa.
With 12.4 million children never having attended school and 5.9 million dropping out prematurely, the scale of the challenge is evident.
“How many people do we have out of school? For once, we can settle the issue of out-of-school children data, particularly in the education sector which I preside over.”
However, the Federal Government’s commitment to implementing measures to rectify this situation offers hope for a brighter future for Nigeria’s education landscape.
