UBEC: Nigeria Needs 20,000 Additional Schools Within 3km to Halt Rise in Out-of-school Children

Kuni Tyessi in Abuja

The Executive Secretary of the Universal Basic Education Commission, (UBEC), Dr. Hamid Bobboyi has revealed that for Nigeria to significantly reduce the number of out-of-school children (OOSC), a total of 20,000 junior secondary schools must be established.

In line with the need for development partners to re-strategise and synergise better to be on the same page in tackling the challenge, he added that schools must be within the range of three kilometres from where they live.

Bobboyi, who stated this yesterday, at the National Conference on Out-of-School Children in Nigeria, said communities must be enlightened to know the truth about lifestyles which encourages child neglect and out of school phenomenon.

“For Nigeria to meet up the needs of children who trek to post-basic schools across the nation, Nigeria needs a total of 20,000 junior secondary schools which must be within three kilometres from their homes.

“There is need to plan together and ensure that resources are judiciously utilised to have collective results.

“We must also take full responsibility for our actions or lack of them and be able to receive enlightenment on education and society and enlighten our communities on the truth about lifestyle which encourages child neglect and out of school phenomenon,” he added.

He tasked stakeholders to take responsibility in addressing the issue of enlargement of communities while the government and other partners revamp the basic education sub-sector.

UNICEF Nigeria’s Chief of Education, Saadhna Panday, acknowledged that the world was facing unprecedented OOSC crisis.

According to her, “Twenty-five million children are out of school globally with a chunk of them in Africa and South Asia. This was majorly caused by COVID 19. Schools were closed intermittently, and this affected all schools across the globe.”

Panday, identified economic status and location of schools as major challenge hindering enrolment of children in schools.

The UNICEF Chief noted that Nigeria has recorded major progress in enrollment of girls into school.

She further added that poverty was a major force driving the OOSC phenomenon in Nigeria.

The Country Representative of World Bank in Nigeria, Dr. Tunde Adekola, called for timely and reliable management of data.

He tasked the government on adequate coordination of coalition of partners both actors and non-actors.

Earlier, the Director Social Mobilisation of the Universal Basic Education Commission, Dr. Ossom Ossom, said findings as well as learning from other partners at the two-day conference would inform the design of a framework for action to reduce out of school children in Nigeria.

“The framework for action will act as a governing document to the government of Nigeria and its development partners in addressing OOSC over the coming three years, including a yearly review of progress, challenges and the way forward,” he added.