The Federal Government has disclosed that it is making plans to reenrol over one million out-of-school children.
This plan was disclosed by the Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, on Wednesday, at the 69th National Council on Education Summit in Akure, Ondo State.
The event themed “Quality Education Data and Professionalisation of Teaching: Tools for Enhanced National Development”, had dignitaries in attendance.
Alausa explained that the initiative is being implemented in collaboration with the National Commission for Almajiri and Out-of-School Children Education.
He added that it involves mapping and documenting children from 12,600 communities nationwide and targets children between the ages of seven and nine, who will be enrolled in low-cost private schools and training centres.
He noted that the government led by president Tinubu has already identified over 21,000 out-of-school children across the Federal Capital Territory and handed over to the FCT Education Secretariat for enrolment.
The ministry has established 109 functional learning centres and transit schools across the 36 states and the FCT, through which 15,224 learners have been enrolled so far, he said.
He said; “The ministry, in fulfilment of its mandate, set up a task force comprising the National Commission for Almajiri and Out-of-School Children Education, the National Commission for Nomadic Education, and the National Commission for Mass Literacy and Non-Formal Education to document the extent of the problem.
“With support from UBEC, this task force mapped out over one million children of various ages from 12,600 communities across the country.
“Efforts have been made to put these children back to school by enlisting those between ages 6–9 into low-cost private schools, while others will be enrolled in schools and training centres in collaboration with the Almajiri Commission.”
