At a recent two-day regional stakeholders engagement meeting in Gombe, the Chief of Field Office of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Bauchi Field Office, Dr Tushar Rane, disclosed a staggering statistic: Nigeria has the highest number of out-of-school children (OOSC) globally, at a staggering 18.3 million.
This number is particularly concerning in the North, despite the government’s free education policy and investment in school infrastructure.
Dr. Rane further highlighted the disparity, stating that only 63% of primary school-aged children regularly attend school nationwide, with a concerning drop to 84% transitioning to junior secondary. This highlights the need to address not just enrollment but also retention throughout primary education.
He noted that limited budget allocation, poor infrastructure, cultural norms, child labour, and health and safety concerns, among others, empower the menace.
UNICEF’s revelation highlights the failed attempts of successive governments, international organizations, non-governmental organizations, and other stakeholders to address the long-standing issue of out-of-school children. Regrettably, the number of children affected continues to rise with no end in sight, underscoring the need for urgent and collective action.
During his presidency, Goodluck Jonathan had committed to establishing 400 Almajiri schools, but ultimately delivered on only 165 of these promises. Despite this, the schools he built were equipped with modern facilities, including language laboratories, dormitories, clinics, dining halls, vocational workshops, recitation halls, and living quarters for teachers. Although the Almajiri education system was operational during Jonathan’s tenure, it was unfortunately discontinued by his successor, President Muhammadu Buhari, upon taking office.
Implications and Possible Solutions
On the implications of the growing number of out-of-school children (OOSC) in the country, experts say the consequences are increased security challenges, shortage of skilled workforce in future, bad international image for the government, high levels of illiteracy and high socioeconomic and dependency issues, among others.
Proffering solutions to OOSC, Olufunso Owasanoye, executive director of HDI, says governments should first of all sensitise and educate parents and guardians on the need for them to enrol their children or wards in either privately or government-owned primary and secondary schools.
After this, they can implement the Universal Basic Education (UBE) Act 2004. She posited, “So, I think that the law now has to be implemented because it was not as much implemented in the years back that we did not have a lot of out-school-children.”
Similarly, Johnson Ibidapo, the programme officer of HDI, equally says the UBE Act 2004 should be implemented as it is the only solution to contain the menace. “So the first thing we can do is start by implementing the law or by constituting a special committee that will be particularly for out-of-school children. Their job will be to move during school hours from place to place to areas that are noted to be places where children are seen out-of-school hawking, wandering, littering all over the place,” he said.
Some experts argue that neither the governments nor the parents can single-handedly contain the menace. They say mitigating the alarming number of out-of-school children in the country will take the collective efforts of the governments, parents, international and non-government organisations, communities and others.
Different approaches
This crisis demands a critical look at existing programs. The government’s free education policy appears to have limited success.
While implementing the UBE Act of 2004, as suggested by Olufunso Owasanoye of Human Development Initiatives (HDI), is a vital step, a multi-pronged approach is needed.
Scholarship programs targeted at underprivileged children, particularly girls, could be a game-changer.
Additionally, exploring vocational training opportunities alongside core academics could incentivize enrollment and equip students with marketable skills.
There is also a pressing need to address child labor directly, through stricter enforcement and alternative livelihood options for families.
Community engagement is vital. Collaboration with local leaders and parents’ associations can foster a culture that prioritizes education. Incentivize schemes, such as school feeding programs or conditional cash transfers tied to school attendance, can further encourage enrollment.
As some have rightly said, the long-term vision should be clear. Setting national goals, like reducing the OOSC rate by half within a decade, can provide direction and accountability.
