65,000 back to classrooms in Oyo, says Makinde
The National Commission for Almajiri and Out-of-School Children Education (NCAOOSCE), yesterday, said it had documented 700,000 out-of-school children across Nigeria.

Executive Secretary of NCAOOSCE, Dr Muhammad Idris, disclosed this during the maiden edition of the Benue Basic Education Summit organised by Benue State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) in collaboration with the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), the NCAOOSCE, and Universal Learning Solutions (ULS) in Makurdi.

Meanwhile, as part of efforts to curb the menace, Benue State Governor, Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia, launched the brace up project and also inaugurated student marshals across all local councils of the state to monitor and identify out-of-school children within their communities.

Alia reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to free and compulsory basic education for every child in the state, declaring that access to education remains a fundamental right that must not be denied to any child.

Also, Executive Secretary of UBEC, Hajiya Aisha Garba, commended Benue for its tangible reforms in the basic education sector.

Relatedly, Oyo State Governor, ‘Seyi Makinde, has said that about 65,000 out-of-school children have returned to classrooms in the state.

Makinde stated this while receiving, on a courtesy visit, the delegation on the BESDA-AF implementation support mission of the World Bank/ Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) at the Executive Council Chamber, Secretariat, Agodi, Ibadan.

The governor said that the state had benefited from the Better Education Service Delivery for Additional Financing (BESDA-AF) intervention programme, adding that it has enhanced and improved the education sector in the state.

Makinde, while thanking the World Bank and UBEC for providing the structural and funding support, promised that his administration would put in the necessary efforts and resources to access the funds allocated to the state in the new cycle.
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arlier in his remarks, the team lead for the UBEC, who is also the National Programme Coordinator, Mayowa Aleshin, said the team would evaluate the implementation of the BESDA-AF project, review the challenges, and provide further recommendations.

He appreciated the state government’s immense support in implementing the intervention programme.

Also, the World Bank team lead, Shinsaku Nomura, lauded Makinde’s efforts to reform the education sector and provide access to quality education at all levels.