The Federal Government of Nigeria has successfully enrolled two million out-of-school “Almajiri” children in basic and Arabic literacy programs. This announcement was made by the Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman, during the Citizens and Stakeholders Engagement on Nigerian Education Sector Ministerial Deliverables in Abuja on Tuesday.
The initiative is part of the government’s efforts to address the issue of out-of-school children and promote literacy across the country. Despite ongoing challenges, including the recent kidnapping of students at the University of Calabar, the ministry is actively working with security agencies to ensure the safe return of the students. Additionally, efforts are being made to improve security measures at educational institutions, such as fencing the university with support from TETFund.
Furthermore, the ministry has developed guidelines and training manuals to enhance inclusive basic education, which has led to increased access, enrollment, and retention rates at both basic and tertiary levels. The deployment of technology in education is also being prioritized to promote learning and skills development, particularly at the basic education level.
In collaboration with international partners like the UK Government, Nigeria is implementing projects such as the GEP III project, which has provided access to learning for approximately 1.5 million girls. These initiatives underscore the importance of both local and international collaboration in addressing the challenges facing the education sector.
However, concerns were raised about the recent increase in WAEC fees to N27,000, which may pose financial challenges for many parents. The Lagos State Commissioner for Education appealed to the federal government to subsidize these fees to ensure that Nigerian children have access to quality and affordable education.