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Tinubu Orders Return of 20 Million Out-of-School Children to Classrooms
President Bola Tinubu has instructed the Federal Ministry of Education to develop strategies to bring over 20 million out-of-school children back to classrooms.
To achieve this, the ministry is utilizing the DOTS-data repository, focusing on out-of-school children education, teacher training and development, and skills acquisition projects.
Minister of State for Education, Dr. Yusuf Tanko Sununu, revealed this during the ground-breaking ceremony for the National Examinations Council (NECO) offices in Shabu, Lafia, yesterday.
He explained that the DOTS initiative would provide the federal government with a data-driven approach to address fundamental issues related to out-of-school children and other educational matters.
According to Dr. Sununu, the project will enable the ministry to gather statistics on schools, enrollment, retention, and progression rates from kindergarten to university level.
“Addressing the issue of out-of-school children is a key focus in President Bola Tinubu’s eight-point agenda, which prioritizes social welfare, health, and education.
“President Tinubu believes that the over 20 million out-of-school children represent a critical group that requires attention to prevent them from being exploited by miscreants.
“He also believes that for Nigeria to progress and maintain its position globally, these children must return to school and receive proper education and skills to become self-sufficient and relevant in society,” he said.
Dr. Sununu described the out-of-school children issue as a ticking time bomb and emphasized the need to return the 20 million affected children to schools for the country to move forward.
He also noted that the DOTS project would help the federal government conduct an accurate census of teachers, their qualifications, training received, and emoluments for effective planning.
The minister praised Governor Abdullahi Sule and his colleagues for their ongoing support of the educational sector and for facilitating NECO enrollment for their students.
