The Niger State Government on Wednesday said it has received a six million dollar World Bank grant to get the teeming out-of-school children in the state back to the classroom.
Alhaji Abubakar Aliyu, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education disclosed this during an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Minna.
Aliyu said that the grant would be utilised by the State Universal Basic Education Board under the Better Education Service Delivery for All (BESDA) programme.
“We have received the six million dollars grant equivalent to N975 million from the World Bank.
“So I want to inform you that we are ready for the programme because we have concluded arrangements and waiting to start,” he said.
He said that the programme would be implemented in 15 out of the 25 local government areas of the state with a high rate of out-of-school children.
“Niger state is among the 10 states that have the highest number of school dropouts across Nigeria,” he noted, adding that the programme was aimed at improving equitable access to basic education for all children.
“The programme which seeks to improve literacy in focal states in the country will also strengthen accountability,’’ he said.
Aliyu said that the state government had signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Universal Learning System on Jolly phonics to ensure successful implementation of the programme.
NAN reports that the World Bank had approved a credit of 611 million dollars to support Nigeria tackle the problem of out-of-school children and get them back to school.
The BESDA programme also aims to improve literacy and strengthen accountability in basic education. (NAN)