The Nigerian Senate calls for a national summit to tackle the growing issue of out-of-school children, aiming to find solutions for improving education access and ensuring a brighter future for Nigerian youth.
To address the issue of out-of-school children more effectively, the Senate has proposed a national summit following discussions with President Bola Tinubu.
This resolution was adopted during the plenary session following the presentation of a report by the Committee on Education (Basic & Secondary) addressing the urgent issue of out-of-school children in Nigeria.
Senator Usman Lawal Adamu, the Chairman of the committee representing Kaduna Central, revealed that through a collaborative effort by ministry agencies focused on educating out-of-school children, over 2 million such students have been enrolled in the past year.
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In a vigorous debate involving more than 20 lawmakers, the issue of children being out of school was recognized as an impending crisis that requires solutions beyond those provided by the Federal Government alone.
Some lawmakers advocated for improved coordination between national and sub-national governments, especially concerning access to UBEC funds. Meanwhile, others like Senator Ahmed Lawan suggested that a substantial portion of the 2025 budget should be dedicated exclusively to addressing the issue of out-of-school children.
Senator Godswill Akpabio, the President of the Senate, stated that children not attending school are at risk of becoming bandits, highlighting an urgent need to address this issue.
The resolution for a national summit was adopted unanimously by the Senate.
