‘Schools’ closure will increase out-of-school children’

By Frank Ikpefan, Abuja

The President of the American University of Nigeria, Margee Ensign has warned that the closure of schools because of bandits will increase the number of Nigeria’s out-of-school children.

She said instead of closing schools to prevent kidnapping, the government should protect the schools against attacks from bandits.

According to her, every child deserves the right to go to school, adding that the closure of schools to prevent attacks from bandits was not the solution.

She said: “If this hotel were under attack would we say close it? If the airport were under attack would we say close it? But that is what we have done to schools. They are under attack so let us close the schools; why not protect the schools?

“Where is the protection for these kids? They have a right to go to school. Until that happens, the schools are probably going to be closed and we all need to find a way to get them an education.”

She noted that there would not be out-of-school children if the government made education a priority.

According to the National Personnel Audit (NPA) Report conducted by the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) in 2018, Nigeria has 10, 193, 918 children that are not in school, with most of the kids concentrated in the Northern part of the country.

Emphasising that children have a right to go to school, Ensign disclosed that many Chibok girls who were kidnapped were sent overseas for studies and have graduated.

“We can’t lose any of those children to the streets. Who knows where the next leader of your country is? So I had the privilege of sitting with Mary and sisters from Chibok, and Mary was giving them advice about how to succeed in college.

“I couldn’t be on any university campus around the world and get advice about how to study hard,” the AUN president said.

Ensign noted that education was instrumental in transforming personal lives and communities.

She further explained that her interactions with some of the Chibok kidnapped students reinforced that belief.

“The other women, I went around and asked, where are you in your studies and what do you want to do? One said: ‘I am a third-year Law student, and I want to be a lawyer to bring (about) justice in my country.’ One said: ‘I’m studying Environmental Science because I’m worried about our climate.’ Another said, ‘I’m studying Accounting so that I can stop corruption.’

“Think of who is saying these. They were the ones who were kidnapped, and they are so focused.

“We need to be focused so that no kids are kidnapped anymore. Where is the protection for these kids? They have a right to go to school. Until that happens, the schools will probably have to be closed, and we have to find a way to get them properly educated,” she added.