From Mika’il Tsoho, Dutse
The Jigawa state Education Steering Committee (JSSCE) with support from Partnership for Learning for All (PLANE) has reviewed and outlined comprehensive measures to tackle the alarming number of out-of-school children in the state.
The effort was made during the committee’s 6th meeting held at MTown hotel Dutse.
During the meeting, participants agreed that Nigeria grapples with a staggering out-of-school children crisis, with UNICEF estimates indicating that approximately 18.3 million children remain outside the classroom—accounting for 15% of the global total.
“This crisis stems from multiple factors including poverty, ongoing conflict in the northeast, entrenched socio-cultural norms, and inadequate infrastructure.
“The situation particularly affects rural communities and the poorest segments of society, with some regions recording over 50% of girls not attending school”, it stated.
During the meeting it was observed that, Jigawa State has emerged with a strategic response aimed at achieving a 25% annual reduction in out-of-school children.
