Minister of Education, Professor Tahir Mamman has reiterated the determination of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led administration to put an end to the menace of almajiri and out-of-school children in the country.
This is even as the Chairman House Committee on Alternative Education, Hon. Al Mustapha Aliyu Rabah, revealed that more than 40 million almajiris were not captured in the government’s database and constituted part of the neglected and forgotten children in the country.
Both Mamman and Hon. Rabah spoke at the inauguration of the office complex for the National Commission for Almajiri and Out-of-School Children Education (NCAOOSCE) in Abuja.
The minister noted that there is now a sense of urgency in the bid to end or reduce to the barest minimum the number of out-of-school children in the country.
United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), recently estimated that Nigeria is host to more than 20 million out-of-school children, inclusive of school-age children who are not in school at the basic education level and at the secondary education level.
The minister, however, said the current administration is more committed than ever to ending the menace, saying the out-of-school children phenomenon ranked first in the 13 pillars of the Ministerial deliverables of the Federal Ministry of Education.
“Our push is determined by this sense of urgency we have to address this problem and we have the determination and the commitment to do it.
“This is the time for us to face squarely and forcefully this monster which is a problem everywhere both in terms of security.
“In most political rallies and where demonstrations or crises like the purported demonstrations on the rising cost of living in Minna, Niger state, 80℅ of those you see there were young boys and girls. That shows the danger we have to dress very quickly.
“Time is not on our side, we have a democratic time frame of 4 years and we have spent 6 months or so and we are very conscious of that,” he said.
The Executive Secretary of the Commission, Hon. Sha’aban Ibrahim Sharada said the inauguration of the edifice stands as a symbol of hope and a beacon of hope for the millions of Almajiris and out-of-school children who have been denied access to education.
He said the desire of President Ahmed Bola Tinubu to return 10 million out-of-school children to school by 2027 is a challenge that the commission has not only accepted but embraced with dogged determination.
“It is the beginning of hope for the countless numbers of out-of-school children.
“It signifies the commencement integration of the Koranic and Tsangaya system of education,” he said
He said the commission would work with traditional and religious leaders, members of the diplomatic corps, NGOs, and all stakeholders who share the vision of the agency to educate and empower a new generation of future leaders.
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“We will open doors to like minds and empower the next generation of Nigerian leaders,” he said.
He said on assumption of duty as the Executive Secretary of the commission the two Ministers of Education charged him to come up with an actionable strategic plan for the provision of quality and inclusive access to basic education as well as vocational training for the high number of out of school children and Almajiri for their livelihood and self-reliance, hence the progress so far.
Chairman House Committee on Alternative Education, Hon. Al Mustapha Aliyu Rabah said the establishment of the Commission has opened doors for the neglected and forgotten ones in society.
According to him, there “are over 40 million almajiris not captured in the nation’s database,” stressing that House members took the menace seriously and launched a funding initiative that has attracted contributions in and out of the country.
The Representative of World Bank, Dilip Parajuli has pleaded with the federal and state governments to please put in more money for the investment of basic education to help tackle the menace of out of school children in the country.
Parajuli said putting in money was critical going forward for the next 10 to 20 years.
He said: “We plead to the states to please use the money efficiently, transparently in an accountable manner, that’s also important.”
While noting that out of 52 million children, 40 million of them cannot read at the age of 10 and this reflects the latest learning crisis, he said: “We are very proud to supporting 17 focus states in the north and a result of that we supported five million Almajiri kids to get the opportunity for formal education but that results have to be sustained going forward.”