UNICEF holds education conference for north leaders

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has begun a “Northern Nigeria Traditional Leaders Conference” on out of school children.

This follows data released by the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) that over 13 million children are out of school.

UBEC noted that 80 per cent of out of school children in Nigeria are in the north, just as UNICEF said the children are not faceless but live in the communities.

UBEC’s Executive Secretary Dr. Hamid Bobboyi, who was represented by Deputy Executive Secretary, Dr. Yusuf Gambo, said the situation calls for a re-think and active participation of all to checkmate the situation.

He said: “That today Nigeria has over 10.5 million out-of-school children (with the figure going much higher if IDPs in Boko Haram ravaged Northeast and secondary school figures are included), with available statistics showing that more 80 per cent of this figure is in the North, calls for a re-think and action to checkmate the situation.

“The north has to wake up from its deep sleep. The world is moving fast with science and technology, and the other parts of Nigeria are struggling to catch-up with the rest of the world through children education, but the north is wobbling and being drawn back by wrong perceptions of what constitutes education and its true value in human and national development.

“It is in the north that majority of the socio-cultural barriers to formal schooling – early marriage (especially of girls); almajiri syndrome all over the northern streets; child labour; negative parental attitudes towards education; low parental literacy level – have found a seemingly permanent dwelling place.”

Gambo, however, promised that “with the commitment, guidance and backing of the Federal Government, active collaboration and participation of the International Developmental Partners, Non-Governmental Organisations, the Organised Private Sector and other key players in the education industry, UBEC will pursue any agenda that targets eradicating the out-of-school children challenge to advance the educational development of Nigeria.

Deputy Representative, UNICEF Nigeria Pernille Ironside said UNICEF recognises the importance of the conference and the key role of traditional institutions in Northern Nigeria to positively influence parents and ensure that children under their councils are literate.

She said: “UNICEF recognises the leadership of the Sultan of Sokoto in this conference and the partnership with the Sultan Foundation for Peace and Development, FME, UBEC and NMEC as well as development partners in changing the story of children in their communities. By working together, we can give all children in Nigeria the right to read and write.

“When we invest in our children, we invest in our collective future. On behalf of UNICEF, I would like to once again encourage the establishment of a strong partnership between the traditional leaders, government and civil society to engage at the community level with parents and influence the political decisions to ensure the right to quality education for all children in Nigeria. For Nigeria to achieve its Sustainable Development Goal (SGDs) targets for education, this is essential. Only quantum leaps today will enable Nigeria to achieve its social and economic goals for the future…”