Poverty, insecurity drive 20 million Nigerian children out of school – UNESCO
In spite of efforts by governments, many more Nigerian children are dropping out of school. Although the Federal Ministry of Education is picking holes in the 2021 figures of an analytical statistics organisation, SBMorgan Intelligence, that put the number of out-of-school children in Nigeria at 12.3 million, the latest data of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), says the current number is 20 million.
UNESCO, which says a new and improved methodology was used to arrive at the latest figures, said there are “244 million children and youth between the ages of 6 and 18 worldwide (who) are still out of school”, with India, Nigeria and Pakistan having the highest figures of out-of-school children globally.
Poverty, lack of schools, insecurity and tradition, among others, are the major factors pushing many children out of school.
Daily, during school hours, many underage children who are supposed to be in school, are seen in traffic selling sachet water and assorted drinks; in mechanic workshops and markets learning trade. Some beg for alms in between traffic, others carry loads for a fee in markets, while many are on the streets looking haggard, with some at bus stops ready to snatch bags from commuters.
The ugly trend is despite the provisions of Article 28 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, to which every country is a signatory, including Nigeria.
The Article states: “States Parties recognize the right of the child to education and with a view to achieving this right progressively and on the basis of equal opportunity, they shall, in particular:
Make primary education compulsory and available free to all; encourage the development of different forms of secondary education, including general and vocational education, make them available and accessible to every child, and take appropriate measures such as the introduction of free education and offering financial assistance in case of need.
According to UNICEF, a United Nations agency, Nigeria accounts for more than one in five out-of-school children anywhere in the world.
The agency reported that only 67 per cent of eligible children take up a place in primary school. If a child misses school for even a short time, there is only a low chance, only about 25 per cent, that the child will ever return. It added that girls suffer more than boys in terms of missing out on education.
In the North-East of Nigeria, only 41 per cent of eligible girls receive primary education. The figure is 47 per cent in the North-West. Social attitudes also impact negatively education rates, especially in northern Nigeria.
In North-eastern and North-western states, 29 per cent and 35 per cent of Muslim children, respectively, attend Qur’anic schools, which do not include basic education skills, such as literacy and numeracy. These children are officially considered out of school by the government.
Situation in Lagos
Lagos is said to be the 3rd state with the highest number of out-of-school children in the South-West. It has 1,009 public schools spread across 20 local government areas, out of which 10 has a high number of out-of-school children.
Despite the claim of zero tolerance for out-of-school children, experts say if the government enrols six children in school today, 10 will be back on the streets tomorrow.
Rasheed Tijani, a 9-year-old apprentice in a mechanic workshop, said he was in a public school before in Ikorodu. He started learning the trade when he was eight years old. According to him, his parents said they saw that he was too slow in learning and could not afford to allow him to continue to waste his time in school. “I am learning to become a car mechanic but I would have preferred to be in school,”Tijani told Vanguard Metro.
“Money to transport me to school is too much because it is far from our house. I am happy here too and I know all of us will still meet up one day,” he philosophized.
At Orile Iganmu, some of the children cleaning cars in traffic ran away when to ask why they weren’t in school. One of them, who momentarily waited and simply called himself Ahmed, said, “I don’t want to go to school. Leave me alone.” On Mile 12 Bridge, two girls selling cut foam in the traffic were approached by Vanguard. One of them, Sarah, who looked 13 years old because of her body features, said, “I will go to school but I still want to sell and make money for my grandma.”
The second girl, Miriam, of the same age group, said: “I stopped going to school. My parents are in the village and I’m selling for my aunt who promised that I will go back to school.”
(Vanguard)
