750,000 children out of school in Plateau – Official

The figure represents a third of the total number of children currently in school in Plateau State are out of school.

A total of 750, 000 children, one in three children, are out of school in Plateau State, Lyop Mang, the Chairperson of the state Universal Basic Education Board, has said.

Ms. Mang told the Senate Committee on Education, led by Uche Chuwkumerije, on Thursday in Jos, that the figure represents one third of the total number of children in schools across the state.

“The figure represents one third of the 1, 450, 966 total children currently in school,” the chairperson said when she received members of the committee, who paid her a courtesy visit.

She blamed the situation on the protracted security challenges in the state, saying that mobility had increasingly become very risky for the children.


Ms. Mang added that most of the children were withdrawn from schools in areas worst affected by the crises. She named the areas as Riyom, Barikin-Ladi, Bokkos and Wase, saying that many of the children were withdrawn out of fear for their safety.

The chairperson also identified other causes to include the negative attitude of some parents towards education, preference to send out children on early marriages or as house-help.

“Some parents also believe there is no need for schooling since a lot of graduate have no jobs. They say that they prefer to go to the farms where they can earn a lot more directly.

“Other parents prefer to send their children to where they could become house helps or do other menial jobs to rake in some money,” she said.

Mr. Mang said that the board had commenced the mobilisation of parents to allow their children to be enrolled in school, especially the female-child.

In his remarks, Mr. Chukwumerije promised to work with stakeholders to boost funding for primary and junior secondary schools education for enhanced performance.

He said the visit was to exchange ideas on how best to enhance the quality of education in the country.
“We came here to exchange ideas; we must work together as joint partners for a good foundation, because once the foundation is not good, nothing else ever goes right.

Mr. Chukwumerije said there must be a uniform school curriculum for the country, “whether in Sokoto, Lagos, Kebbi, Abia, Osun or Jos”, to ensure the maintenance of standard and quality in the education imparted to students.


Source: Premium Times

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