By Mika’il Tsoho, Dutse
The Jigawa State House of Assembly, with support from the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), has set an ambitious target to reduce the number of out-of-school children in the state by 90 to 95 percent by 2030.
Speaking at a ceremony to distribute school materials to recently returned students, UNICEF’s Education Manager for the Kano field office, Mr. Macheal Banda, highlighted the commitment of Jigawa’s lawmakers to addressing the issue.
He stated that members of the Jigawa State House of Assembly and UNICEF officials convened in Kaduna, where they resolved to drastically cut the state’s high number of out-of-school children in alignment with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
“As part of efforts to ensure quality education in terms of both access and learning, we are here to provide support to the members of the Jigawa State House of Assembly. Our goal is to bring 90 to 95 percent of out-of-school children back into the education system and ensure they meet the standards of literacy and numeracy as outlined in the SDGs by 2030,” said Banda.
He acknowledged that Jigawa State still faces challenges in reducing the number of out-of-school children, but expressed optimism.
“With the current political leadership’s commitment, alongside the support of parents, communities, and other stakeholders, the target is achievable,” Banda added.
UNICEF, he explained, has also embarked on extensive media campaigns and stakeholder engagements to advocate for increased funding.
This funding will not only address the issue of out-of-school children but will also support the integration of literacy and numeracy into Qur’anic school curricula.
In his remarks, Deputy Speaker of the Jigawa State House of Assembly, Honourable Sani Isyaku Gumel, revealed that during their Kaduna meeting with UNICEF, members were informed of the alarming figure of over 700,000 out-of-school children in the state.
He noted that they had agreed on a strategy to reduce this number by 40 percent in each of the 30 state constituencies.
“Today, we launched the distribution of school materials to children who have recently returned to school. This is one of our various initiatives aimed at reducing the number of out-of-school children by 40 percent in each of our 30 constituencies,” Gumel stated.
Also commenting, Honourable Abubakar Saddiq Jallo, representing Hadeja constituency, shared the lawmakers’ efforts to tackle the out-of-school children crisis through a comprehensive sensitization campaign.
“We are working to enlighten parents, communities, and stakeholders on the need for collective action to achieve this crucial goal,” Jallo said.
He further commended UNICEF for its continuous support in addressing the challenges facing Jigawa’s children, particularly in health and education, and called on other partners to follow UNICEF’s example for the state’s betterment.
