Following the growing concerns over the high rate of out-of-school children in the country, the Minister of Education, Olatunji Alausa has assured of the Federal Government preparedness to end the menace.
Towards achieving this, the Minister noted that the Federal Government is partnering with State Governors to tackle the menace.
Alausa stated this during the 2025 Budget Defence session organized by the joint Committee on Tertiary Institutions and TetFund and Education, in Abuja.
He pointed out that the Education Ministry had met with Governors and all the 36 States Commissioners for Education, including FCT to find lasting solution to the challenge.
“So, we’re working together on this. It now has to be a collaborative effort on what we have to do.
“The number of the out-of-school children is mind boggling and disturbing. It is not in just one geopolitical region. It is everywhere.
“We need to confront it else we will be consumed by it. We have to engage with our Governors. And we have held meeting with the Nigerian Governors’ Forum on how to collaborate on this.
“We are also working with all the 36 States Commissioners for Education, including that of the FCT, Abuja,” Alausa said.
The Minister also decried the state of the Almajiri Schools built during the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan. He noted that the school have been abandoned and therefore, called for efforts to revive them.
“Of the over a hundred of the schools built for out-of-school children, only few are operational.
“The funding of the Almajiri and out-of-School Commission is not enough. We need more funding in this regard,” he said.
Alausa further added that the ministry would ensure human capital development to boost the education sector.
“We want them to develop. It’s the best part of any society. Without education, we can’t survive as a society.
“And if you look at the Human Capital Index, Nigeria has one of the lowest human capital indexes in the world,” he said.
In his remarks, the Chairman, Senate Committee on Tertiary Institutions and TETFund, Senator Muntari Dandutse, noted the importance of education in national development.
He said, “As lawmakers, we have a constitutional responsibility to ensure that resources allocated to this critical sector are strategically planned and utilized.”
Dandutse also pointed out that the proposed 2025 budget is expected to demonstrate a clear vision for addressing the gaps identified in the 2024 Appropriation. While also introducing innovative strategies to tackle emerging challenges in the education sector.
source: The Nation
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