The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Education

  • Oyo to commit N5b to education, receives 70,000 books

    The Oyo State Government at the weekend disclosed that about N5bn will be expended to repair the dilapidating structures in primary and secondary schools in the state.

    Similarly, the state government has received 70,000 books covering different subject areas such as Mathematics, English, English literature, Physics, Biology, Economics, Algebra, Chemistry, among others, from a non-government and non-profit organisation based in the United States, Jewels of Africa.

    The state Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Professor Adeniyi Olowofela, who made the disclosure during a meeting with the state chapter’s leaders and representatives of the Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT), Association of Primary School Head Teachers of Nigeria (AOPSHON)  and All Nigeria Conference of Principals of Secondary Schools (ANCOPSS), explained that N3b counterpart funding will be spent on primary education, while N1.9bn generated from the students’ levies and state government internally generated revenue will be spent on secondary schools in the state.

    Professor Olowofela noted that every step needed to take for the smooth take-off of the rehabilitation of schools in the state has been concluded, stressing that in the next 12 months, a majority of the primary and secondary schools in the state would have worn new looks.

    The commissioner said that the state’s School Governing Boards (SGBs) for secondary schools is yielding positive results with many old students’ associations working on the rehabilitation of structures in their schools while some others have signified interests, adding that the collaborative efforts between the government and stakeholders in the education sector will restore its lost glory.

  • The sex education debate

    The sex education debate

    To some, sex education is ideal for teenagers. Others think it is immoral. Although, some parents are worried about the way it is taught in schools, teachers feel it will guide children whose early exposure to technology makes them vulnerable, report ADEGUNLE OLUGBAMILA, STELLA EDMUND, JANE CHIJIOKE and AJOSE SEHINDEMI. 

    How best can Sex and Sexuality Education be taught in schools?

    This is the question agitating the minds of many stakeholders since a concerned parent, Bello Abdullahi, posted on his Facebook page a Social Study textbook for junior secondary schools which recommended masturbation as a form of sexual abstinence.

    The approved textbook titled: “Religion and National Values: Social Studies for Universal Basic Education 7 (JSS1)” identifies masturbation as a measure by which teenagers could avoid pre-marital sex.

    Page 50 of the said book which outlines “Ways to give and receive sexual pleasure and develop closeness without sexual intercourse’’ älso mentions kissing, touching, hugging, mutual masturbation, companionship, sharing inmate’s thoughts, feelings, sharing fun, sharing sadness and joy as well as supporting each other.

    Abdullahi’s post of the book caught fire online, with parents, guardians and educationists condemning the book’s position on the matter and describing it as ‘unwholesome and unhealthy’ for teenagers. They also argued that the book’s prescribed means of abstinence were immoral.

    In response to the post, some parents, under the aegis of the Association of Concerned Mothers, staged an awareness protest in Lagos a fortnight ago.

    They claimed it was unfair of the government to have introduced a topic such as “Sex and Sexuality Education” without due consultation with parents, and called for its holistic appraisal with a view to either abolishing it outright, or deleting aspects considered unhealthy for youngsters.

    The convener of the group and popular broadcaster, Mrs. Adesuwa Onyenokwe, warned the government not to treat the issue lightly, saying parents were ready to storm the Office of the Governor in a fierce protest.

    In a statement, the body threatened to sue the Lagos State government.

    A lawyer and member of the group, Mr. Sonnie Ekwounsi, noted that certain topics taught young minds in public school were not healthy.

    “They (authorities) are just being inconsiderate,” Ekwounsi said.

    “They want to spoil these children from a tender age under the pretext of teaching them the right thing on sex education. I encourage families to stand up for their rights and rebuke them for such actions,” he said.

    Another member, Miss Nkem Agboti, told The Nation that the NGO had petitioned the National Assembly that they should remove Sexual Education from the school curriculum, because they see the subject as polluting the minds of young children.

    However, Lagos State has since denied the existence of any textbook that encourages immoral activities in its curriculum.

    The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education, Mr. Adesina Odeyemi, stated that though the ministry was aware of the textbook in question, it was not part of books reviewed and approved in the year 2013. He said the government was already collating books from interested publishers for another round of review and approval later in the year.

    “This book, without prejudice to the intention of the author, and the opinion of its publishers, has not been reviewed, recommended or approved for use in any of the Lagos State public and private secondary schools,” Odeyemi said.

    In the current secondary school curriculum, Sex Education topics are treated under Social Studies, Civic Education,  and Home Economics.

    However, not all stakeholders are against the teaching of sex and sexuality education in schools.

    A teacher at Rock-Ville College, Ojo, Lagos, Kareem Olanrewaju, noted that though many parents were not comfortable with the topics, it was dangerous to leave teenagers to learn on their own.

    “The danger is that if we fail to tell them now, they will practise it elsewhere,” Olanrewaju warned.

    He continued: “A female student once came to me and asked how often a woman can meet a man for (sexual) intercourse before she can get pregnant.  I advised her to confide in her female teachers but she said they would either make a mockery of her or even think she has been practising that already. I asked her to tell her mother and she said she was a career woman who worked round the clock and hardly lectured her on such issues.

    “These children know many things we think they do not. Therefore, we need to familiarise them with risks associated with such actions.”

    Simeon Fowowe, who specialised in Primary Education Studies at the Adeniran Ogunsanya College of Education Oto/Ijanikin, said parents needed to realise that the world had changed and children of these days were different from the previous generations.

    He recommended ‘simulation’ as one of the best approach for teachers of Sex Education.

    “The children we have today are technology-savvy. They watch these things (sex) on social media. What I mean by simulation is that you teach them in such a way that morals are acquired. Show them in practical terms some of those things they watch on social media and television; but let them realise the dangers that await them if they choose to toe that path.

    “Show them with video illustrations of those who once treaded those paths before and how their lives ended. Let them know that only a few, particularly those who have strong parental support, survive such ordeals and, in many cases, most of them still have regrets,” he said.

    A teacher in a public school in Festac Town, who pleaded not to be mentioned, believes Sex Education should be encouraged in schools in view of the vulnerability of teenagers to information and communication technology (ICT).

    “I have about four phones that I have seized from my students. If the principal opens his desk, you will see almost 20 phones that have been seized from students.

    “There was a particular boy in my class. He kept smuggling phones to school almost every other week; and when you checked the phones, they had pornographic materials. He would tuck the phone in a corner and watch with some of his friends during classes.

    “Each time we seize their phones, we counsel them on the danger of their actions. Sometimes, we send for their parents before we release the phones.

    “There was a day we brought in a motivational speaker to counsel them on the dangers of sexual immorality. Since then, this same boy suddenly stopped. We thought he was pretending initially but today this boy has not only stopped sneaking in phones, but he has also begun preaching to his other friends on why watching immoral videos could deter their future.”

    A parent, Mrs. Odeyemi Aina, said she had always objected to the teaching of Sex Education until her daughter’s best friend was impregnated by a classmate.

    “When the news broke,” Mrs. Odeyemi recalled, “many including myself could not believe Sola (not real name) could do it. She was a disciplined girl and many of her teachers loved her because she was easygoing and hardly talked in class.

    “Since then I have had to reconsider my position. Now I tell my daughter who is 14 that the sexual parts of her body is a no-go area for any man. I also warned her that if she errs, she would either forfeit her education or cope with tending her baby and going to school at the same time, provided God gives her a second chance.”

    A school head in Somolu area of Lagos noted that with the direction the world is drifting, primary school pupils should not be exempted from Sexuality Education. However, she warned that the pedagogy should be age appropriate.

    She said: “Every Monday on the assembly ground, we teach the pupils how to relate with the opposite sex and how the females should not let anybody touch their sexual organs.

    “We have even gone further by telling parents at our Parents Teachers Association (PTA) meetings to monitor their wards, especially the females. They should notice if they feel discomfort or do not want their parents to touch some of their body parts while bathing.  Those are signs that the child is being abused and they should report to the school if anything is noticed,” she said.

    A parent, Mr Akintunde Olaosebikan, faulted the government for not involving parents enough on issues about sex education.

    “I do not think government has seen parents as partners in progress when issues of policies and curriculum are discussed.

    ‘’We only listen or read in newspapers after such ideas must have been perfected. Like this issue of Sex Education, there are so many ideas that we can give them that will be beneficial. Sometimes, we also need to have access to some of these textbooks before the government finally approves them.  Do not forget that these students are also our children, and as parents, we either reap the rewards of their success or bear the brunt of their failure.”

     

  • Education materials rot away in Ogun schools

    Education materials rot away in Ogun schools

    Some education materials procured for secondary schools in Ogun State since 2012 are rotting away at the Abeokuta High School, Idi-Aba Library.

    The materials, which were said to have been procured by the Governor Ibikunle Amosun administration shortly after he was sworn in for his first term in office in 2010, could not go round all the secondary schools.  The distribution was suspended and the remaining materials were moved to Abeokuta High School, Idi Aba for safe-keeping. However, the materials have been abandoned in the past six years.

    Southwest Report gathered that while some schools were lucky to have received the items, including branded school bags, ball pens, education and instructional materials for science and technical colleges, branded exercise books and laboratory materials, others are yet to get theirs.

    The materials that were kept at the Frederick O. Oridota Library since 2012 have prevented the students to have access to the use of the library for many years and most of the books have been covered with dust; a sign of many years of abandonment.

    When Southwest Report visited the school premises, students who were supposed to be in the library in accordance with the school’s timetable were seen playing on the field. They were warned not to go near the school library.

    Investigation revealed that some of the items, especially the ball pens, had dried up.

    Speaking to Southwest Report on condition of anonymity due to the sensitive nature of the matter, a member of staff of the school explained that bureaucratic bottleneck by the Ministry of Education might have caused the continuous retention of the education materials in the school library.

    He said: “The excuse adduced by the government for keeping the materials was not tenable because if the materials could not go round, they should have been given to some of the schools instead of allowing it to get rotten here”

    He pointed out that since the materials have been kept in the school since 2012, the students did not have access to the library and all the school programmes concerning library education has been suspended.

    “This is very unfair; the government should have stored the materials at the Ministry of Education or in any government store instead of keeping them here for keeping sake,” our source said.

    A student of SS3 who simply identified himself as Oluwatosin explained that the materials have been kept in the school library for many years and the students can no longer use the facility again.

    “You can see that majority of the students are playing on the field while some are loitering about. If the library is not forbidden for the students, some of us would have loved to be there to read our books.

    “I was in JSS 1 when they brought those materials to our school and we were warned not to go near the library again because government properties are kept there. It was later that we learnt that education materials meant for some selected schools were kept in the library.” he said.

    Another student, Sola Aderibigbe (JSS3) said he met the library of the school sealed up with a warning that no student was allowed to loiter around the place, let alone entering inside.

    “I later learnt that government properties were kept there” he said.

    Speaking to Southwest Report on phone, the Principal of the school, Mr. Olusegun Obadimu explained that the alumnae of the school recently met and the issue was discussed at length, adding that they promised to intervene; indicating that the materials would be removed from the library soon.

    While speaking on the issue, the Commissioner of Education, Mrs. Modupe Mujota said the educational materials were not deliberately abandoned. She said the materials could not go round all the schools as the reason for the materials being stored at Abeokuta Grammar School, Idi Aba.

    Mujota, who spoke to Southwest Report on phone, explained that as soon as some issues are resolved in the ministry, the materials would be removed from the school.

    “The materials will be removed soonest, that is what l can say about the issue,” she said.

    However, a top government official in the Ministry of Education who spoke to our correspondent in confidence argued that the materials were rotting away because of the bureaucratic bottleneck from the ministry.

    “It is sad that the governor himself will not be happy that the materials that were bought with the taxpayer’s money are now rotting away somewhere on the flimsy excuse that it cannot go round. Is it not better to give the materials out to any of the available schools instead of allowing it to rot away like that?” he said.

     

  • Sokoto targets N1b education levy

    Sokoto State has started a yearly collection of over N1 billion as Education  Levy to be deducted from salaries of civil servants in the state.

    Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal made this known in Sokoto at the inauguration of a 27-member Education Revitalisation and Strengthening Committee chaired by the Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar.

    Tambuwal said civil servants on grade levels one to six, would pay one per cent of their basic salaries, while those on grade levels seven to 12, would pay one and a half per cent. Their counterparts on Grade levels 13 to 16, would pay two per cent.

    Tambuwal, who inaugurated the committee during the 2017 Annual General Meeting of the Sokoto Education Development Trust Fund( SEDTF), noted that a high- power committee was set up as part of measures to support the implementation of the state of emergency declared by the government on the sector.

    “The committee is part of the proactive strategies by the state government to revive education from its state of coma,’’ Tambuwal said.

    He continued: ‘’This action was premised on some disturbing statistics from development partners that the state still lags behind in education, especially girl-child education.”

    He said the committee was charged with shoring up enrolment, retention and completion of education by pupils.

    According to him, the terms of reference for the committee include: the rehabilitation, expansion and construction of schools, with the collaboration of the state schools’ based management committees.

    Tambuwal assured that the committee would work out modalities for grassroots mobilisation of parents to enrol their children in both Western and Islamic schools.

    ‘’It (committee) will also work to ensure improved quality of teaching and learning, as well as equity, irrespective of gender.

    ‘’The Sultan (of Sokoto) is globally recognised as a committed leader who has zero-tolerance for non-compliance, just like he led the successful war on the menace of polio,’’ Tambuwal added.

    Accepting the task, Sultan Abubakar praised the government for reposing so much confidence in the committee.

    “We will work assiduously in the discharge of this noble assignment, without fear or favour, and with the absolute fear of God,” Abubakar said, adding: ‘’The committee will recommend the sacking of all unqualified teachers, as there are many of them, with some wandering away from their duty posts.’’

    Also, chairman of the board of Trustees of the fund and Second Republic President Shehu Shagari lauded the state government, Sultanate Council and some individuals for their sustained support to it

    Shagari, represented by Alhaji Idris Koko, the Madawakin Gwandu, pledged to complement the efforts of the state government to restore the lost glory of the state’s education sector.

  • ‘How to promote quality tech-driven education’

    The advancement of technology has brought fundamental changes to education and teaching in the developed world, where hi-tech tools are deployed to give educational instructions and impart knowledge.

    However, this modern technique is a strange trend in many developing countries where conventional method is still being used to impart knowledge.

    While quality education remains out of the reach of millions of children in Africa, experts say it would be dangerous for developing countries to lag behind in taking advantage of modern tools to improve on the quality of education.

    Given Nigeria’s growing population of education-disadvantaged young people and out-of-the-school children, what role can technology play to increase access to quality education and efficient teaching process?

    This is the kernel of the discussion at the Social Sector Open House, a conference organised to promote application of tech tools to improve quality of education. The event was put together by Bridge International Academies in collaboration with the Lagos State Ministry of Education and Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning.

    Since its establishment in Nigeria in 2015, Bridge International Academies, a group of low-fee schools, has been championing the use of hi-tech tools to improve quality of education in rural areas.

    In his keynote speech, Special Adviser to Governor Akinwunmi Ambode on Education, Mr Obafela Bank-Olemoh, said the state’s appetite for investment in technology had increased with the aim to ensure effective governance and drive socio-economic growth. He said the state recently launched education-technology roadmap that would facilitate introduction of hi-tech tools in elementary schools to enhance teaching and learning.

    Bank-Olemoh said the recently launched CodeLagos was designed to equip one million young people with coding skills to transform the state into a hub of innovation and technology.

    He said: “Governor Ambode has set a target to push Lagos from the fifth largest economy to the third largest in Africa. To drive this goal, we need a new generation of technology-literate youngsters to help achieve the aim. Our appetite for investment in technology will continue to increase, as this has become the most viable way to feed the growth of our socio-economic indices.

    Partnership with Bridge International Academies is important at this period.”

    With more than 30 per cent of children attending school unable to read and write, the co-founder of Bridge International Academies, Ms Shannon May, said the foundation for the nation’s future had been weakened by poor quality of education, despite that its economy showing great strength for growth.

    She said: “Statistics from the United Nations Children’s’ Fund (UNICEF) shows that 40 per cent of children between ages two and 11 do not attend school in Nigeria, while 30 per cent of the children of school age cannot read and write.

    In 2050, Nigeria is projected to become third most populous country in the world, having 400 million people. That should be a power house and huge human resources. But, if its young people don’t have access to quality education, the expected future may not be attained.”

    She said the foundation for Nigeria’s economic prosperity remains in the quality of its classrooms, adding that efforts must be made to re-design the country’s approach to teaching and learning by investing in teachers’ performance.

    While sharing the Academies’ success stories after the application of teachers’ tech, May said the tool would help education policy makers and government to make decision that would transform the life of every child that hopes for quality education. The tool, she said, would help the government to check teachers’ absenteeism and also to track the quality of knowledge being imparted on children.

    May said: “Nigeria must re-design its approach to education. Efforts need to be made by the government to ensure it gets best performance from teachers. The present method of teaching, where a teacher is isolated with hundreds of pupils in a classroom must stop. Teachers now need to be connected to experts for daily capacity building through teachers’ tech tool, which contains updateable information about each subject, teacher-pupils attendance and frequency of interaction.”

    Chief Executive Officer of the Academies, Mr Jay Kimmelman, said Lagos State government’s readiness to partner with the Academies would bring about fundamental changes in learning process, noting that the partnership was targeted at building teachers’ capacity and capability to deliver quality knowledge in line with modern realities.

    He said: “In 21st Century, technology has become an enabler of better schooling and development across the globe. It is a good omen to see Nigeria in the forefront of the movement to drive change in education. Technology underpins the education provided by Bridge and there is no doubt technology would play pivotal role in empowering young Nigerians over the next decade.”

    The event featured discussion panel on the topic: “Lagos Government is Leveraging Technology to Change Lives” during which Bank-Olemoh praised the private sector and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) for collaborating with the state to equip children of public and private schools with tech skills.

    Other panelists included the Managing Director of First City Monument Bank (FCMB), Mr Ladi Balogun, Chief Executive Officer of Leading Learning Limited, Mrs Folasade Adefisayo, and Founder of SystemSpecs Nigeria Limited, Mr John Obaro, among others.

  • Support swells for education in Bayelsa

    Stakeholders in Bayelsa State, at the weekend, declared support for a bill in the state’s House of Assembly seeking to make primary and secondary education compulsory in the state.

    The bill came as a reinforcement to the state of emergency in education declared by Governor Seriake Dickson in 2012 when he took his first oath of office.

    The stakeholders spoke at a public hearing organised by the State House of Assembly Committee on Education on the ‘Compulsory Primary and Secondary Education Bill, 2017, sponsored by the leader of the House, Mr. Peter Akpe.

    They advised the government to ensure proper funding of the scheme.

    The Chairman of the Post-Primary School Board, Mr. Dein Benadoumene and Chairperson, State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Mrs. Flora Williams-Ebi, said adequate funding should cover provision of free school bus service to pupils.

    “The government has done it before. Free school bus should be provided to support the free education policy. And all teaching aids be supplied so that the head teachers and principals will not fall into charging any kind of fees,” Benadoumene said.

    Also, the President, All Nigerian Conference of Principals of Secondary Schools (ANCPSS), Mr. Abbey Ayebaemi River, said  government must also provide funds for sports and examinations.

  • Education update in Oyo state – Quick FACTS we need to know

    Education update in Oyo state – Quick FACTS we need to know

    ■ The issues being experienced by the tertiary institutions in Oyo state today are a result of years of maladministration. Therefore, after the forensic audit of the institutions commissioned by the Gov. Ajimobi administration is completed, the state government will come up with appropriate subventions for these institutions, while priming them for self-sustenance in the long term. The era of unbridled largesse is over!
    ■ Furthermore, paying it forward, the Oyo-State Education Trust Fund will soon commence operations. Monies raised via this Trust Fund will also be available to redress the financial distress in the institutions.
    ■ It is also noteworthy that some of the education policies of this administration have started yielding fruit. Oyo-State came second in the last NECO exam in the nationwide ranking, while we are waiting for this year WAEC examination to see how well we’ve improved, especially considering our abolishment of “dandawi” promotion.
    ■ The University of Ibadan is a federal institution and not Oyo-state owned. This seemingly desperate attempt to give a dog a bad name in other to hang it won’t deter or distract our resolve to rework of educational policies in the hope of forestalling some of these nagging issues plaguing our institutions.
    ■ In achieving the high education standards in Oyo State, the Technical University Ibadan was launched Oyo yesterday.
    ■ The Technical University, Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria is located at Ajayi community on the Lagos-Ibadan expressway.
    ■ It was conceived in 2012 by the Ajimobi administration and was to partner with University of Texas, USA.
    ■ This citadel of learning is a public-private partnership arrangement.
    ■ Special courses not readily available in the regular universities would be provided by the institution.
    ■ The university housed within the free trade zone would provide succour for parents who often send their wards to neighbouring countries for higher education.
    ■ Oyo state government would release 90 percent of the university’s shares to private investors while it would only retain 10 percent in the long run.
    Jide writes from Ibarapa
  • My mum was a firm believer in education, says Obanikoro

    My mum was a firm believer in education, says Obanikoro

    A former Minister of State for Defence, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro, has said his late mother, Alhaja Wasilat Obanikoro, was a disciplinarian who made great impact on the lives of her children and the people around her.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Alhaja Wasilat Obanikoro died in the early hours of Saturday at her home in Lagos.

    She was 95.

    The late Alhaja Obanikoro has been buried according to Islamic rites.

    The senator spoke yesterday in Lagos with NAN on the life and times of his mother.

    Obanikoro said Alhaja Obanikoro was a firm believer in education as a tool for liberation.

    The senator said he always knew his mother to be a hardworking woman, adding that she touched several lives through her generosity.

    The former Nigerian Ambassador to Ghana said his late mother was a devout Muslim and was always focusing on whatever she believed in without bothering herself about comments from critics.

  • Govt urged to invest more in education

    The federal government has been urged to invest more in the educational system.

    Executive Director, Academic Excellence Initiative (AEI), Faheed Olajide, said education is the biggest and most important investment to build a new Nigeria.

    Education, he said, is the way to build human capacity and the nation as a whole.

    Olajide spoke in Lagos, during a ‘Spelling Bee champ’ organised by Karagold Educonsult in conjunction with AEI and Cutting Edge Experience Initiative.

    The ‘Spelling bee champ’, he said, aimed to enlightened and encouraged young ones to face their studies and gain scholarship.

    “A lot of money is going into entertainment and sporting industry; we want money to go into education. We are doing our best to inculcate learning skills into the young ones, so that they would grow up imbibed with the culture of excellence and we would have a better generation of Nigerians in the future.”

    He added that the competition would also contribute to the development of the educational, saying that such exposure would challenge the pupils to put in more efforts to learning.

    He called for government and other stakeholder’s partnership on the ‘spelling bee champ’.

    Karagold Educonsul Chief Executive Officer Karamah Shogbuyi, said the event was to make the pupils become better in spellings, improve their vocabulary and use of English.

    “The competition would make the pupils better, they would present words carefully and write well.”

    The competition, she said, is basically for private primary and secondary schools and it has no government funding. “The competitors are into three categories. In the first category, the tiny tots, we have 35 contestants; second category, kiddies, we have 60; and the third category, young stars, we have 25. All the contestants would go back home with gifts but the first, second and third position, from each category would get something more, including, a trophy, books, educational materials and spellers game . It would get better as the year goes by”

    She urged the pupils to keep working hard and not allow the internet and social media language affect them. “Once the pupils can spell well, it would influence them in all other areas of life,” she said.

    Chief Executive Officer, Cutting edge experience initiative, Mrs Habeeba Alagbe, said the pupils, through the event, would become eloquent in speech.

    This, she said would enable them to be effective and efficient in all they do, either in business or other spheres of life.

    She urged the pupils to get educated in the midst of having fun. “Take your education serious, have fun, get educated and apply your education wisely,” she said.

  • Emergency on education timely, says Sokoto govt

    Sokoto State Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Dr. Muhammadu Jabbi Kilgori, says a state of emergency declared on the state education sector is to rapidly address infrastructural challenges, enrolment, retention of school age children and the girl-child education.

    Briefing reporters in Sokoto, Kilgori noted that government is fast tracking modalities for sustaining standards in the state education system.

    Kilgori also identified learning achievements, teacher quality and motivation, community and private sector participation as areas the state of emergency aims to reposition.

    According to Kiglori, the government had embarked on an aggressive enrolment drive, campaigning with rewards for outstanding achievement,

    Kilgori stated that the projected enrolment statistics between early childhood care education  and senior secondary schools in the state was at 1,908,099, but with a net figure of 738,034 as actual enrolment for the 2015/16 and 2016/17 seasons.

    “Given this statistics, a total of 1,170,065 are out of school,” he pointed out.

    To further encourage enrolment and  retention, Kiglori said the government has approved the establishment of a primary and junior school each across the 244 wards in the state.

    “Each ward will have a primary school and JSS totaling 488. We have so far constructed and renovated over 60 of such,” he said.