Daud Olatunji
The Chief of Lagos Field Office at the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF),Celine Lafoucriere has raised the alarm over the statistics surrounding out-of-school children and educational dropouts in Nigeria.
Speaking during an advocacy visit to the Assembly Complex, Oke-Mosan, on Thursday,Lafoucriere attributed the issues to a range of systemic problems.
She added that the factors include inadequate evidence-based policies, insufficient budget allocation, a shortage of teachers and classrooms, poor infrastructure, cultural norms, health and safety concerns, and child labour.
Lafoucriere emphasized UNICEF’s commitment to addressing these challenges by developing models aimed at reducing the number of out-of-school children and improving retention rates.
She stressed the importance of increasing enrollment and ensuring that children transition smoothly from primary to secondary education.
Central to this mission, she urged parents to trust and support the educational system as a critical component in tackling the dropout crisis.
UNICEF Education Specialist Azuka Menkiti echoed these sentiments, advocating strategies to boost school enrollment and enhance student interest in education.
Menkiti called for a collaborative approach involving all stakeholders in the legislative arm to ensure seamless access to quality education.
Responding to these concerns, the Ogun State House of Assembly reaffirmed its dedication to improving educational outcomes in the state.
The Speaker, Oludaisi Elemide assured that the state would continue to collaborate with key stakeholders to increase pupil enrollment and reduce dropout rates.
He emphasized that maintaining Ogun State’s status as the education capital of Nigeria requires concerted efforts to address the issues of school dropouts, particularly in the South West and across the nation.
Elemide highlighted ongoing initiatives such as the donation of educational facilities, organization of summer classes, and facilitation of donations from philanthropists to complement the state’s efforts in creating conducive learning environments.
He stressed that addressing the dropout crisis demands collective action from all sectors.
Other lawmakers, including Honourables Adebisi Oyedele, Babatunde Tella, and Lukman Adeleye, supported UNICEF’s call for increased synergy between government and non-governmental organizations.
They attributed the high dropout rates to rising insecurity and the erosion of cultural values, which they believe have been exacerbated by the influx of people from neighboring countries.
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