Out-of-School Children: Oyo to educate over 170, 000 Almajiris, Hawkers

Mon, Aug 19, 2019
By publisher
2 MIN READ

Education

OYO state Government says it will utilise the World Bank Assisted Better Education Service Delivery for All (BESDA) $3 million take-off grant to educate 170, 536 out-of-school children in 23 Local Government Areas of the state.

Dr Nureni Adeniran, Chairman, Oyo State Universal Basic Education Board, (SUBEB), said this in a statement issued on Monday in Ibadan by Dr Wasiu Olatunbosun, the State Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism.

The statement quotes Adeniran as making the disclosure recently after a two-day interactive session with stakeholders on the implementation of BESDA.

The SUBEB chairman reiterated the state government’s resolve to effectively take off the street all out-of-school children and put them in public schools, adding that the programme would cater for hawkers and Almajiris in the state.

“Despite all the hiccups, I strongly believe that the essence of BESDA, which is to effectively take all the out-of-school children off the streets and draw them back to schools, will be accomplished in Oyo State.

“The state government will ensure that a total of 62, 733 hawkers are taken back to school, while 107, 803 Almajiris will be taken off the streets in the Oke-Ogun region of the state.

“The Board has embarked on strategies that would ensure all out-of-school-children are returned to schools before year-2022.

“Oyo state as one of the participating states, would ensure that all out-of-school-children were brought back to schools within the years of the programme’r implementation in the country as a whole,” he said.

The Chairman also promised that the State Government, under the leadership of Gov. Seyi Makinde would pay undivided attention to reduction in the number of out-of-school children, improve their literacy level and strengthen the education system.

Earlier, Malam Iro Umar, the Head, Coordination Support Team, BESDA, expressed optimism that Oyo State has a good team to implement BESDA project.

He further said that the State, through Oyo State Universal Basic Education Board, had met necessary parameters and has what it takes to drive the programme to a fruitful end.

“Oyo state government would receive an initial BESDA grant of $3million, to kick off the programme in Ona-ara, Kajola, Surulere, Saki West, Akinyele, Olorunsogo, Iseyin, Saki East, Oyo West, Ogbomosho South, Ogbomosho North and Iwajowa.

“Other local government areas are, Ogo-Oluwa, Ibadan South East, Oriire, Oluyole, Afijio, Oyo West, Ibadan South East, Egbeda, Oreloope, Ibarapa Central and Ibadan North East,” Umar said.(NAN)

– Aug. 19, 2019 @ 18:15 GMT |

Tags: