United Nations Children Education Find (UNICEF) has urged the Kano state government to increase appropriation release on education, adding that this would help in reducing out-of-school children bedeviling the state.
On Friday, the Chief of UNICEF Field Office Kano, Mr.Rahama Rihood Farah, at Word International Day of Education held in Kano, said,” Education is a fundamental human right and engine of development of every society.
This was just as he stated; “There are currently about 10.2 million children at the primary level who are out of school in Nigeria, 16 percent of them are from Kano, Jigawa, and Katsina, according to MICS 2021″.
While Northwest Nigeria has the second highest out-of-school rates in Nigeria, the situation of out-of-school populations in Kano, Jigawa, and Katsina states is alarming, and further exacerbated by poor learning outcomes for those children who are fortunate to be enrolled in school’.
Speaking on his behalf at the occasion, the education specialist UNICEF Mr.Habeeb Saleh added that ” Close to one million children are out of school in Kano state( 989,234); a total of 337,861 school children are in Jigawa, while Katsina state with 536,112 out of school children ”
He however stated that” It is therefore important for duty bearers and right holders take action to address the barriers that hinder children from accessing quality basic education”
The Education Sector has faced the challenge of inadequate funding across the states. Although budgetary allocations have improved in recent years, exceeding the UNESCO benchmark in states like Kano and Jigawa, actual release and expenditure have not been the case.
According to him,’ While the specter of Out of School Children (OOSC) is a major concern, the challenge is that even those children who have the opportunity to be enrolled in school do not have quality education.”
Only 1 out of 4 children in Nigeria, aged 7-14 years can read and understand a simple sentence or solve basic arithmetic, according to the Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS 2021) report.
Tackle the challenge of access to education through initiatives that provide equitable access to education for OOSC and girls through platforms such as non-formal and Integrated Quranic Schools, digital and alternative learning pathways such as the Nigeria Learning Passport and LP, radio and Community Learning hubs
He then emphasised that; “UNICEF is supporting the basic education in Kano, Jigawa, and Katsina states to address challenges in the basic education sector.
“To expand access to education for children from families, UNICEF has supported Cash transfers to improve access to education for vulnerable families.
“While on enrollment drives: UNICEF has been partnering with communities, traditional leaders, and decision-makers on enrollment drives to improve access to education.
“We have partnered with the Jigawa State House of Assembly, led by the Speaker, on school enrolment campaigns,s, resulting in the enrollment of hundreds of children in school.
“Provision of school grants: Support the provision and effective use of school grants to improve access to quality inclusive education.”
