From Paul Orude, Bauchi
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has revealed that a staggering 18.3 million children are out of school in Nigeria. This alarming figure positions Nigeria as the country with the highest number of out-of-school children globally.
Dr. Tushar Rane, Chief of Field Office, UNICEF Bauchi, disclosed this information at a two-day Regional Stakeholders Engagement Meeting on Out-of-School Children and the Retention, Transition, and Completion Models in Bauchi, Gombe, and Adamawa states.
“Unfortunately, this positions Nigeria with the challenge of having the largest number of out-of-school children globally,” Rane stated.
He further highlighted that only 63% of primary school-age children regularly attend school, and a mere 84% transition to junior secondary education after completing primary school. Additionally, less than 50% of children who start primary school finish junior secondary school.
Rane expressed concern over the increasing dropout rates across all genders at the primary level, particularly in the northern region. He attributed this trend to various factors, including inadequate evidence-based policies, limited budget allocation, teacher and classroom shortages, poor infrastructure, cultural norms, health and safety concerns, and child labour.
UNICEF is deeply concerned about the high number of out-of-school children and low learning achievements in Nigeria, especially in the northeast and northwest regions. To address this challenge, UNICEF has collaborated with the Universal Basic Education Commission to develop the “National Framework of Action to Reduce the Number of Out-of-School Children in Nigeria” and the “Retention, Transition, and Completion Model.”
The two-day meeting aimed to develop models for reducing the number of out-of-school children and increasing the retention, transition, and completion of adolescents in secondary schools. Participants engaged in open dialogue shared insights, and developed targeted strategies to address the issue.
“I encourage open dialogue, active participation, and the sharing of insights during the two-day engagement,” Rane urged. “I envisage that after this meeting, we will have clear, targeted, and state-specific strategies that will further ensure that we reduce the rate of out-of-school children and enhance retention, transition, and completion.”