FG confirms returning two million kids to classroom
Says report on fake varsities, certificates out soon
TFederal Government has confirmed returning two million out of the 20 million out- of- school children to the classroom.
It, specifically, said the kids, identified as Almajiris, were enrolled in basic schools and Arabic literacy programme with vocational training.
Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman, made the disclosure yesterday at the maiden Quarterly Citizens and Stakeholders’ Engagement in Abuja.
He presented the ministerial deliverables and the sector’s scorecard to participants that included heads of agencies and departments under the ministry, as well as civil society organisations and international development partners.
The minister said the ministry under his watch has developed guidelines and training manuals for the implementation of inclusive basic education in Nigeria. “These have increased access, enrolment and retention completion at basic, secondary and tertiary school levels,” he said. Recall that last December, the ministry promised to return 15 million children to school by 2027 as part of its Education Roadmap ( 2024 to 2027).
The Guardian reports that a World Bank report showed that Nigeria faces a staggering learning crisis, with about 70 per cent of children in schools could neither read nor write, let alone perform basic numeracy tasks by age 10.
Also, a 2022 report by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation ( UNESCO) put the country’s 20 million out- of- school children as the highest in Africa, and third, globally. Mamman listed his top priorities to include building a reliable and authentic database for the sector, promoting skills development and acquisition, as well as reducing by a great percentage the number of uneducated kids.
He disclosed that the 12- member investigative panel constituted in January this year to probe phony universities selling fake certificates to Nigerians would soon submit its report.
Mamman told the gathering that peddlers of fake certificates would be traced and investigated.