FG Recommits to Reducing Spate of Out-of-School Children

*As UBEC hosts 774 education secretariesKuni Tyessi in Abuja

The federal government has recommitted its stand in tackling the challenge of out-of-school children and curbing learning poverty through maximizing the roles of the commissions in charge of the responsibilities.
It said Nigeria is facing two major challenges in basic education delivery, and while grappling with the challenge of the large number of school age children who are not in school, there is also the problem of those in school who are not learning.
The Minister of State for Education, Dr. Suwaiba Said Ahmad, who stated this yesterday in Abuja on the occasion of the opening ceremony of a nationwide training and sensitization workshop of the 774 local government area education secretaries, said there are on-going programmes being implemented by different agencies under the Ministry of Education and which will require review, redirection and proper coordination.
She reiterated that primary school education is today bedeviled by what is now popularly called “learning poverty” which is responsible for primary school children performing below their capacity, and stressed that this must be arrested.
She added that the ministry will continue to focus on and improve factors that impact quality education delivery, such as teacher quality, school environment, availability of instructional materials, efficient school governance and supervision.
According to her, “At the primary level, Nigeria is facing two major challenges in education delivery. While we are grappling with the challenge of the large number of school age children who are not in school, there is also the problem of those in school who are not learning.
“There are on-going programmes being implemented by different agencies under the Ministry of Education, which will require review, redirection and proper coordination.
“For example, there is a Commission for Almajiri and Out-of-School children education whose mandate is to reduce the number of school age children who are not attending school.”
She assured that the federal government will remain committed to supporting the local and state governments in ensuring that the goal of Universal Basic Education programme is achieved in the shortest time.
The Executive Secretary of the Universal Basic Education Commission, UBEC, Dr. Hamid Bobboyi, in his speech, said the training for the executive secretaries is imperative, noting that they serve as mentors and coaches to head teachers and teachers and must be trained for better supervision.
He said the commission expects that with the recent autonomy granted local government areas in Nigeria, more responsibilities will be devolved to them with the possible direct disbursement of primary education federal intervention fund to states through the Local Government Education Authorities.
According to him, “Apart from the supervisory and other administrative functions they perform, they also provide professional leadership to head teachers and teachers, as support officers, mentors and coaches. They are to ensure that whatever is required for schools under them to perform effectively are

provided.

“With these responsibilities on their shoulders, they deserve to get the professional support they need from the State Universal Basic Education Boards and the Universal Basic Education Commission, among others.”

He assured that the secretaries will continue to receive the support of UBEC, particularly in training that will Improve their knowledge and skills in educational management.