Commission hands over 22,307 out-of-school children to Abuja ministry

The National Commission for Almajiri and Out-of-School Children’s Education (NCAOOSCE) has handed over 22,307 mopped-up out-of-school children to the FCT Ministry of Education.

At the official ceremony in Abuja on Friday, the Executive Secretary of NCAOOSCE, Muhammad Idris, urged the FCT Education Secretariat to enrol the children in various schools across the territory.

Mr Idris noted that the 22,307 children were identified and removed from the six area councils of the territory.

He also commended the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, for his unwavering support in ensuring free education for the children from Primary 1 to JSS 3.

He called on other state governments to emulate this initiative to return out-of-school children to the classroom.

“This administration is very serious about taking our out-of-school children back to school.

“The president has said that enough is enough and that Nigerians should be given the opportunity to raise their heads in the comity of nations.

“It is no longer going to be business as usual, where people have children, neglect their responsibilities, and send them to the streets.

“Those children have become all sorts of bandits today. Some of them are involved in Boko Haram activities and have done the unbearable things we are suffering from today.

“So, the president said everybody should play their role to ensure the children are back in school, he directed us to mop up 10 million out-of-school children, and this is just the beginning”.

Mr Idris added that the commission would extend its efforts to the 36 states in the coming months to remove vulnerable children from the streets.

Receiving the children, the FCT Mandate Secretary for Education, Danlami Hayyo, said the territory had taken steps to address barriers preventing children from accessing formal education.

He explained that this effort led to the development of the ‘Back to School’ initiative, designed to provide a pathway for children who might otherwise miss the benefits of structured education.

“They will be enrolled under the ‘Back to School’ initiative for integration into our classrooms.

“This is a landmark moment not only for these young learners but also for us as educators, policymakers, and stakeholders in Nigeria’s future.

“The FCT administration has always prioritised equal and accessible quality education for all children, regardless of their background.

“Our mission is to ensure that every child, whether from an urban or rural setting, is provided with the tools and opportunities to thrive in an inclusive learning environment,” he said.

(NAN)