About 58,530 children out of school in 6 LGAs of Bauchi state…Gov Abubakar

Gov. Mohammed Abubakar of Bauchi State on Wednesday said that no fewer than 58,530 children of school age in six local government areas of the state were currently out of school.

Gov. Mohammed Abubakar

Abubakar spoke while declaring open the statewide “Enrolment-Drive a of the state.

He Campaigns’’ organised by the SUBEB, in Balma, Ningi Local Government Are said that, “Information has reached us that in 2013/2014,
UNICEF conducted school mapping in Alkaleri, Ganjuwa, Ningi, Shira and Zaki Local Government Areas of the state.

“The exercise covered 210 selected primary and junior secondary schools, 696 catchment communities across the LGAs with a total of 232,696 children within age groups of three years and 18 years.

“A total of 58,530 children comprising: 31,910 males and 26,620 females were listed as being out of school in the selected LGAs.

“With these figures coming from only six LGAs, there is the need for this statewide enrolment drive campaign,” Abubakar said.

He directed all the local government councils in the state to conduct enrolment-drive campaigns to ensure that children of school age in their areas of jurisdiction were enrolled.

The governor said that his administration recognised that education was a crucial factor in ending global poverty through provision of employment, income and increase improvement in maternal and child health.

He said that his administration was willing to re-shape the education sector in the state to encouraging the establishment of
more schools.

Abubakar said that several others would be renovated to enroll more children.

Earlier, Alhaji Yusuf Yerima, Permanent Secretary, State Ministry of
Education had tasked SUBEB to sensitise and encourage parents to enroll their children in schools.

Yerima, represented by Hajiya Binta Sambo, Director of School Services,
said that governments worldwide recognised education as vital in ending poverty.

According to him, that is why the state government is pursuing the compulsory and free education programme.

Also, Hajiya Maryam Garba, the Executive Director, Fahimta Women and Youth Development Initiative (FAWOYDI), called on government to re-establish women teachers’ colleges.

She made the appeal in a paper delivered at the event titled, “Importance and Benefits of Girls Child Education”.

Garba also suggested the construction of gender-based toilets in all schools and the provision of mid-day meals for pupils and students during school hours.