Abuja: The National Commission for Almajiri and Out-of-School Children Education (NCAOOSCE) says it is still awaiting action from the state governments to collaborate in the enrolment of 700,000 out-of-school children mapped across the country.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, the Executive Secretary, Dr. Muhammad Idris, while fielding questions from journalists in Abuja, stated that the commission had formally written to all the 36 state governors and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) for the enrolment of out-of-school children. He emphasized that the commission had successfully embarked on a nationwide mapping exercise, documentation, and reaching remote communities to identify out-of-school children. Idris highlighted poverty as the leading cause of children staying out of school, with the inability to afford basic needs such as uniforms and PTA levies significantly contributing.
He explained that the commission was ready to submit the data of the 700,000 mapped children for enrolment as soon as states take the necessary steps to begin implementation. Additionally, Idris disclosed that within the next three months, the commission would provide states with an updated database of an additional three million out-of-school children, once the current number had been enrolled. This effort aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s directive to eliminate the challenge of out-of-school children before the end of his tenure.
Idris also welcomed the approval of the National Policy on Almajiri Education by the National Council on Education (NCE). He stated that the approval affirmed the Almajiri child as a full-fledged pupil deserving of the same rights, resources, and learning environment as any child in a conventional school. Providing updates on ongoing interventions, he revealed that at the Tinubu Legacy Skills Training Institute in Kaduna, about 200 Almajiri learners had completed a nine-month intensive program, equipping them with language proficiency, Qur’anic interpretation skills, and qualifications for admission into higher institutions.
Idris added that the learners also acquired vocational skills, including POP installation, CCTV installation and maintenance, solar installation and maintenance, tiling, GSM repairs, agriculture, and ICT. Similarly, in Ibadan, Oyo State, another 150 out-of-school girls were undergoing training in various vocational areas, including fashion designing, cosmetology, hair-making, and more. These girls were also being exposed to the Accelerated Basic Education Programme (ABEP) to aid their reintegration into formal education.
He called for stronger commitment and cooperation from all stakeholders, stressing that the success of the national effort to reform the Almajiri system and reduce out-of-school numbers depended heavily on support from all.