The United Nations Children’s Education Fund (UNICEF) says it tracked about 544,951 out of school children in Adamawa in 2019.
Mr. Bhanu Pathak, UNICEF Chief of Field Office, Bauchi, said this at a ceremony to mark the commencement of reconstruction and rehabilitation of 80 schools in Adamawa, held in Fufore, headquarters of Fufore Local Government Area (LGA) of the state on Thursday.
Pathak, however, said that about 94 percent ( 514,743 ) of the children were returned to school after some efforts.
He said that UNICEF partnership with the State Government in the education sector over the years had yielded positive results.
“Among the positive partnership results are in 2029 about 544,951 out of school children were tracked in five LGAs, where 94 percent of the children were successfully returned to school.
” Also, over 599,417 additional children were enrolled in school as a result of enrolment drive-in camps and host communities across the state.
” And today, we are witnessing another important flag off of project on renovation and reconstruction of 80 schools in Fufore and Guyuk LGAs before the end of 2020,” Pathak said.
The field officer said that another set of schools would be considered in additional four LGAs ultimately, to contribute to quality education in the state.
He said the renovation and reconstruction of the schools were under the KFW project funded by the German Government through UNICEF.
Pathak urged the state government to release the N200 million counterpart funding for the implementation of all basic education interventions in the state for 2020.
Gov. Ahmadu Fintiri thanked UNICEF for its efforts in ensuring that children in the state were supported to get a basic and quality education.
Fintiri said that the enormous task before his administration was to ensure that basic education was made available to every child in the state.
“I am delighted to hear the progress report of the Chairman of the Board and I want to use this opportunity to thank the UNICEF and development partners on Basic Education in the state including the Universal Basic Education Board for sponsoring some of these laudable projects.
“Our greatest asset is the children and educating them properly is the surest way to preserve the asset.
“I want to use this opportunity to call on parents and community leaders to ensure that children are enroled in schools when schools resume,” Fintiri said.