EWAN calls for independent and accurate collation of data in the country.
In September, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) declared that Nigeria had one of the highest numbers of out-of-school children globally, at about 20 million of the globe’s 244 million children and youths ranging between ages 6 and 18. However, some of Nigeria’s government officials have queried this recent global data of out-of-school children by UNESCO. At an event, officials from the federal level and Lagos State Ministry of Education expressed their concerns for the recent list that places Nigeria with India and Pakistan as the countries with the highest out-of-school children globally.
These government officials, speaking as the panelists at the Yearly Education Summit, themed “Toward Safe Schools in Nigeria”, organized by the Education Writers’ Association of Nigeria (EWAN) noted that there was a poignant need for an independent data collation and accurate system in the country rather than the dependence of this data collation from independent agencies. Binta Abdulkadir, the Director of Senior Secondary Education, the Federal Ministry of Education termed UNESCO’s statistics as inaccurate, stating that the Federal Government, through the Better Education Service Delivery for All (BESDA) initiative, have been able to immensely reduce the out-of-school children’s situation in the country. The Basic Education Commission also earlier disclosed that 17 of the country’s 36 states were granted N65 billion intervention fund as of July 2022, to help them curb the growing out-of-school situation in these states.
Insurgency have left 2.8 million students in need of emergency funds.
Also, the Federal Ministry of Education, as of November 2021 also reported that about 925,590 of the previous 10.2 million out-of-school children in Nigeria had been successful integrated back to school on the BESDA programme. Tokunbo Wahab, the special advisor to Lagos State Governor on Education also expressed his doubts over UNESCO’s data, urging reporters to make their research and query some of the data from international agencies before using them. Despite these claims, schools in the north-west and north-central parts of the country remain fully or partially closed due to the recurring terrorists attack where students in these cases, are kidnapped for ransom.
Adamu Adamu, the Minister of Education, represented by Vivian Watagire, Director of General Services of the Federal Ministry of Education stated that the attack on schools is not limited to Nigeria. He admitted that the insecurity that has ravaged the country has had a domino effect on the education status quo, with insurgency destroying over 497 classrooms, leaving 2.8 million students in need of the education-in-emergency support. He also noted that 6 out of 10 under 18 years of age have experienced forms of violence had also aggravated the already challenging out-of-school menace in the country. He however pointed the government’s commitment to creating a safe ambience for education with the safe school policies, being evidence of this commitment.
Students should be covered under the National Health Insurance scheme.
On the global access to healthcare, the newly appointed Vice Chancellor of the University of Lagos, Folasade Ogunsola noted that students should be covered under the National Health Insurance Scheme. She also pointed out that the psychological health of students was as important as their physical health, as most students battle depression as a result of bullying, sexual harassment and other vices. Using the University of Lagos as a reference point, she stated that the institution had enacted sexual harassment, bullying and anti-bullying policies which employees are allowed to read and sign. Emphasizing the need for immense funding, again recommended renovation of educational institutions to accommodate people with disabilities.
Mojeed Alain, Chairman of EWAN admitted the security concerns in the country were crucial and must be addressed immediately, noting that other issues like economic growth and unemployment cannot be addressed without first sorting out the security issues. He reiterated that everyone has to be responsible for schools’ safety. Mr. Wahab however highlighted the commitment of Lagos State Government to ensuring vast quality education. He noted that different initiatives have been put to play for the sim of scaling up the security measures in public schools and institutions in the state, one of which is the provision of perimeter fencing across all public schools in the state. Also, public schools’ usage for social events have been banned, as well as sensitization programs towards educating students about the dangers of drugs and violence.
Panelists recommend the use of CCTV cameras in schools.
The panelists however recommended for a close-circuit television (CCTV) cameras in schools, to ensure the monitoring of lives and properties. Binta Abdulkadir indicated that a high-level safe school initiative was being developed collaboratively by the Federal Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Education. She stated that the administration was working to ensure that every school in Nigeria is provided access to these facilities to ensure that insecurity is overtly minimized. The Commander-General of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps, Ahmad Audi who was represented by Edenabu Emeka, the Lagos Commandant, stated that the agency has been charged with playing an advocacy role both to the school, ministry government, traditional institutions, and other relevant investors.
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I applaud the tremendous work UNESCO is doing, but we still need to have accurate number or data of out of school students in Nigeria. It will help us to really know the number of students we have to reach for affordable education.
Emphasizing the need for immense funding, again recommended renovation of educational institutions to accommodate people with disabilities.
Despite these claims, schools in the north-west and north-central parts of the country remain fully or partially closed due to the recurring terrorists attack where students in these cases, are kidnapped for ransom.
This is a nice work done by UNESCO but most school in north side having side with their education sector because of attack which affect student there
Poverty rate and the alarming insecurity issue within the country are also contributing largely to the out of school. But with the programs government are putting in place with time its the rate might reduce.
The state government are arguing the facts of UNESCO that it of school children in Nigeria are up to 20million which they are saying we should not be ranked along Pakistan at the bottom,how they come across thefactors and parameters used should be made known.
It’s bad that a lot of children and adolescents did not attend school in the country making Nigeria one of the countries with the highest rate of children who were not in school.
It is encouraging that some members of Nigeria’s administration have inquired about the most recent worldwide data on children who are not enrolled in school that was compiled by UNESCO.
The UNESCO that concerning out if children school is accurate and even the number maybe more than what the declare because all the factors that make education function well and very accessible are not in place in Nigeria.
Instead of relying on data collection from other independent agencies, the country had a pressing requirement for an independent data collation and accurate system. This was in stark contrast to the current situation.
Despite this, schools in the northwest and central areas of the country remain shuttered, at least temporarily, due to the frequent terrorist attacks in which students are kidnapped for ransom.
the insurgency has had a devastating impact on the educational system, destroying over 497 classrooms, and that this has happened as a direct result of the widespread instability in the country.
the dedication of the government to establishing a secure environment for educational pursuits, with the implementation of safe school policies serving as evidence of this commitment.
It is to everyone’s benefit that holding social events in public schools has been made illegal, as well as the implementation of awareness programs aimed at teaching pupils about the perils of drug use and violent behavior.
A well-done job by the UNESCO. Working to ensure that every school in Nigeria is provided access to these facilities to ensure that insecurity is overtly minimized.
Since Nigeria don’t know how to collate data and external party will help us to do it. UNESCO has helped us to collate data that gave the details of out of school children though they’re not accurate. As a Nigerian we must learn to do the right thing and not allow external body to teach us what we can do.
That statistics given by UNESCO about out of school children is accurate though the government officials are kicking against. I believe was they gave is right.
Notwithstanding this, schools in the country’s northwest and central regions continue to be closed, at least temporarily, as a result of the frequent terrorist incidents in which students are abducted for the purpose of demanding ransom.
the dedication of the government to establishing a secure environment for educational pursuits, with the implementation of safe school policies serving as evidence of this commitment.
Because the majority of kids struggle with depression as a result of bullying, sexual harassment, and other vices, the psychological health of students was considered to be just as essential as their physical health.
We don’t really have the data fact. Government need to join hand with UNESCO to give us the really satistic