 |
The Kaduna State Government has reaffirmed its commitment to reducing the number of out-of-school children through the distribution of school uniforms and learning materials to newly enrolled pupils under the Reaching Out-of-School Children (ROOSC) Project at LEA Primary School, Kawo, Kaduna.
Speaking during the exercise, the Project Coordinator of ROOSC, Mr. Ezra Angai, said the distribution was taking place simultaneously across the project's nine pilot local government areas, targeting children who had been mainstreamed into formal schools after completing community-based catch-up classes.
Angai explained that the beneficiaries were selected through a comprehensive household mapping exercise conducted by the Kaduna State Government, during which about 360,000 households were visited and 187,000 out-of-school children identified. He noted that the children first undergo three months of learning in catch-up clubs before being integrated into conventional schools.
According to him, the provision of school uniforms is aimed at removing barriers that often prevent vulnerable children from attending school, enabling them to integrate with their peers without discrimination.
He disclosed that the project, which targets 100,000 out-of-school children in Kaduna State, has already exceeded its first-year target and is on course to surpass its second-year target with another 20,000 children expected to be enrolled into formal schools in September.
Angai described the ROOSC initiative as Nigeria's only holistic programme specifically designed to address the out-of-school children challenge, attributing its progress to the strong support of the Kaduna State Government and development partners, including the Islamic Development Bank, Global Partnership for Education, Save the Children International, UNICEF and the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development.
Also speaking, the Chairman of the Kaduna State House of Assembly Committee on Education and Deputy Speaker, Hon. Barrister Mahmoud Lawal Ismaila, said the distribution of uniforms and learning materials reflects the government's determination to ensure every child has access to quality education.
The lawmaker commended Governor Uba Sani for prioritising education and expressed confidence that the administration's sustained investments in the sector would further reduce the number of out-of-school children across the state. He stressed that both the executive and legislature remain committed to providing a conducive learning environment where every child can thrive.
He further assured that the Kaduna State House of Assembly would continue to support policies and legislation that promote access to education and ensure the sustainability of programmes aimed at expanding school enrolment and improving learning outcomes.