The World Bank in partnership with the Universal Basic Education (UBEC) is set to work on a programme to get Out-Of-School children in Nigeria back to school.
Mr Tunde Adekola, Senior Education Specialist, World Bank, said this during a workshop for State Universal Basic Education Boards (SUBEBs) on the World Bank Proposed Project for Result (PforR) Operations in Abuja on Wednesday.
Adekola said the programme which would be for five years would cost 50 million dollars.
“The role of the World Bank is to assist the government so it is a World Bank assisted project to Nigeria.
“We are happy that the government is seeing Out-Of-School children as a very important area that they need support; and of course, to solve some problems you need partnership, collaboration and cooperation, between state actors and non-state actors.
“That is between the government and development partners.
“So there are some problems that even if you have all the money, you cannot solve without working with others and I think the Out-Of-School children is one of them.
“Apart from government and its agencies, you also need the non-state actors, the civil society, the non-governmental organizations (NGOs), the PTA and the parents; so all those things need to come into place.
“It is a type of intervention that all hands need to be on deck, and of course the role of the developmental partners is to come and support the government either through technical assistance or investment, which is what we are doing.’’
Alhaji Umar Iro, Coordinator Special Projects, UBEC, in his presentation said the statistics of Out-Of-School children within the basic school age of six to fourteen stood at 13.2 million.
“Statistics from the Ministry of Education show that out of school children in the North-West stands at 7.393 million, North-East, 3.773 million, North Central, 1.418 million.
“While the South-West has 312,000 Out-Of-School children, South-East- 170,000 and South-South,134,000. ‘’
Iro noted that low and inequitable enrolment rates, quality of education, weak system management and accountability in Nigeria’s education system, all emanated from lack of stable Basic Education foundation.
He said the programme would also focus on increasing equitable access for Out-Of-School children, improving literacy and strengthening accountability for results. (NAN)
OKE/DOR/YEE