According to Nigeria’s education minister, Adamu Adamu, 12.4% of sub-Saharan African children are not enrolled in school.
During the state 2023 Education Week in Benin, Adamu, who was represented by Mrs. Olatunji Davis, Director of Basic Education, Federal Ministry of Education, made this declaration under the slogan “Education for Alahgogaro: Investing in Quality Education and Access for Our Children and Youth.”
The minister stated that according to the 2018 National Personnel Audit, 10.5 million children between the ages of 5 and 14 were not enrolled in school. She added that this figure had been made worse by the increased learning poverty brought on by the closure of schools and the absence of students as a result of the Global COVID-19 pandemic.
According to him, Nigeria’s commitment to achieving Universal Basic Education (UBE), as outlined in the UBE Act of 2004, is demonstrated by the President’s declaration on June 12 enforcing free and compulsory basic education for the first nine years of schooling.
However, the Minister praised the Edo State government for enhancing the educational system and urged other governments to do the same.
Dr. Joan Oviawe, the commissioner of education for the state of Edo, stated that the goal of education week was to highlight the advancements made in Edobest over the last six years as well as provide suggestions for the future of our children’s education.
She applauded the stakeholders for supporting Governor Godwin Obaseki’s ambition for restoring the state’s educational system.
