The Rivers State Government says Government at all levels must synergize efforts to reduce the number of Out of School Children in the Country.
 |
| Rivers State Deputy Governor, Dr. (Mrs.) Ipalibo Harry Banigo (Middle) conferring with the Minister of State for Education, Hon. Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba (Left) and the State Commissioner for Education, Prof. Kaniye S. A. Ebeku during the Flag-Off of Better Education Service Delivery for All (BESDA) in Rivers State at the Obi Wali International Conference Centre, Port Harcourt on the 1st April 2021 |
Governor Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, stated this during the flag off ceremony of Better Education Service Delivery for All (BESDA) at the Obi Wali International Conference Centre, Port Harcourt on Thursday, 1st April 2021.
Represented by his Deputy, Dr. Mrs Ipalibo Harry Banigo, Governor Wike said a survey conducted by the United Nations Education and Children Fund (UNECEF) indicate that the population of the Out of School Children in Nigeria has risen from 10.5 million to 13.2 million; the highest in the world.
According to the Governor, “most of these children are in Nigeria's Northern States of Borno, Yobe, Adamawa and Zamfara, where Boko Haram and Bandits have held, besieged and disrupted normal academic activities. These criminals or terrorist gangs who believe that "Education is evil” have destroyed several school's facilities and kidnapped hundreds of students which had resulted in the closure of many schools in those States”.
The State Chief Executive who said there has been a few cases of cult-related and communal crises in some parts of Rivers State, which have sacked some communities and rendered them as refugees, disclosed that last month, the State Government approved four hundred million naira for the resettlement of Ekporo community in Eleme LGA of the State.
He expressed the hope that the Federal Government, through the Ministry of Humanitarian and Emergency Services would look in the direction of the State as it is being done in other parts of the country, in the spirit of national unity, adding that some coastal communities are also prone to regular flooding.
The Governor who said the Educational policy thrust of the State is on course, revealed that several tertiary institutions, secondary and primary schools have been rehabilitated and equipped, noting that the number of Out of School Children which was 110,654 has reduced to 36,015, which is 32% reduction success.
Governor Wike who said no Government worth its salt would ignore a programme aimed at reducing the number of Out of School Children in the society, appealed to the Federal Government to adopt sincere and intelligence driven approach in tackling the insecurity in the country.
“It is no more a secret to say that the "Almajiris " and illegal Fulani immigrants are major sources of recruitment for Boko Haram. It was against this background that the former President, Goodluck Ebele Jonathan in December, 2010 embarked on the Almajiri Education programme, which led to the construction and equipment of 157 (Tsangaya) Almajiri Model Schools in parts of the country. Unfortunately, these schools have been abandoned and left to rot obviously for political reason”. The Governor stressed.
He expressed gratitude to the Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu and the Minister of State for Education Hon. Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba for coming to flag off the BESDA in Port Harcourt.
In his Keynote address the Minister of State for Education Hon. Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba said Education is critical for National development, which explains why our educational system is structured for our children to become responsible citizens and bring about national development.
Hon. Nwajiuba said no nation can rise above its educational development. “For any country to develop therefore; it must have a well-developed educational system that equips its people and prepare them with adequate knowledge that will enable then take competitive advantage of the 21st century economy”.
He said Nigeria has one of the highest Out of School Children in Sub-Saharan Africa, noting that for us to address these challenges adequately, we must strengthen the quality of Basic Education in Nigeria, by confronting head on the factors that deny our children access to Basic Education, which necessitated the launching of the BESDA Programme.
The cardinal objective of this programme, according to him is to increase equitable access for out of school children, improve literacy and strengthen accountability for results in the basic educational level in all our focus states.
The Minister of State appreciated President Muhammadu Buhari, for providing the credit support of six hundred and eleven million dollars support that will go to 17 States targeted to uplift Education in Nigeria.
He also congratulated Governor Wike on the developmental strides achieved embarked upon by his administration to position this State in the rightful place for global and national competiveness.
In his welcome address the State Commissioner for Education Prof. Kaniye Ebeku said the State has adopted the school enrolment campaign, sensitization and advocacy to 115 communities, establishment of BESDA Centres across the 23 LGAs, feeding of pupils with one square meal, throughout the learning days, engagement of temporal facilitators and vendors.
Also speaking the Executive Chairman of Rivers State Universal Basic Education Board, Ven. Fyneface Akah identified issues of cultism, communal clashes, oil bunkering and the ecological setting of the State as some of the factors that necessitated the inclusion of Rivers State as one of the 17 beneficial States.
0 Comments