Out-of-school children below 8 million – Nigerian govt rejects UNICEF’s 15 million figure

Nigerian govt

The Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, says Nigeria’s fig of out-of-school children is little than the 15–18 cardinal estimation often cited by the United Nations Children’s Fund, UNICEF, insisting that ongoing information mapping shows a importantly reduced figure.

Alausa spoke connected Tuesday during an interrogation connected Politics Today connected Channels Television, wherever helium explained that the national authorities is conducting a nationwide mapping workout to place the existent fig of out-of-school children.

He said the ministry has already reintegrated implicit 1 cardinal children into schools wrong the past 30 months done ongoing interventions.

According to him, the government’s mapping workout involves physically tracking and identifying children astatine the assemblage level to find close enrolment figures crossed states.

The curate cited Kaduna State arsenic an example, saying portion earlier estimates placed the fig of out-of-school children astatine astir 1.8 million, the ongoing verification process indicates the fig is person to 700,000.

He added that akin exercises successful different states, including Akwa Ibom, suggest importantly little numbers than antecedently reported.

Alausa maintained that though the revised nationalist fig is beneath 8 million, the concern remains a superior interest requiring continued ...