
The Federal Government has declared that the lingering number of out-of-school children is inimical to the economic growth and advancement of Nigeria.
The Minister of State for Education, Goodluck Nanah, who disclosed this at the commencement of the campaign for out-of-school children in Abeokuta, Ogun State, urged state governors and stakeholders to intensify the effort to eradicate the menace.
He stated that the gainful engagement of children and youths would engender peaceful co-existence to curtail social vices.
He said, “We must always remember that education is our collective responsibility and its failure can well be taken as the failure of us all. This calls for the need for all hands to be on the deck.
“The need for joint efforts, commitment, and political will to eradicate the challenge of out-of-school children in Nigeria. Its continuous persistence is inimical to the economic growth and advancement of our country.
I, therefore, urge other stakeholders to work together to ensure that all our children especially the indigent ones within our communities are given support and sponsored into various vocations for a better and safer society for all.
“I sincerely appeal to all state governors to make substantive efforts to ensure increased access, improve quality and systems strengthening of education at all levels in the states. Gainful engagement of our teeming children and youth will lead to a peaceful environment and curtail vices and crimes in society.