More than 3,000 out-of-school children, mostly Almajiris, are currently receiving Western education through a radio school programme broadcast in Katsina State.

The program, which is also being replicated in other states in the Northwest region, is implemented by the State Agency for Mass Education (SAME) and Community Aid Connect (CAC).

Speaking during a one-day stakeholders’ meeting on Wednesday, CAC Regional Coordinator of the Digital Literacy Programme, Mr Bolarinwa Akinloluwa, said the school programme is broadcast every Thursday and Friday on selected radio stations.

Akinloluwa explained that the radio school programme became necessary due to the fact that most Almajiris and out-of-school children are unable to attend conventional schools.

He stated that CAC provides the learning materials, radio sets, and sponsorship for the programme broadcasts, while SAME provides facilitators for the project.

He dismissed recent complaints by some facilitators who alleged that they were being shortchanged in their monthly allowances, as well as claims about the distribution of motorcycles to each facilitator to aid in their duties.

According to him, the complaints arose due to a communication gap between the facilitators and the programme organisers, and the issue was addressed during the one-day stakeholders’ meeting.

Supporting this, programme mentor, Maryam Abdulrahman, said some facilitators had alleged that they were supposed to receive N30,000 monthly and a motorcycle each to facilitate their movement.

Abdulrahman clarified that only N5,000 was agreed to be paid to each facilitator, and an information gap had led the facilitators to assume they were to be paid higher amounts.

She assured that the programme would continue to reach more out-of-school children across the state and is expected to last for three years.