The Bauchi State House of Assembly has unveiled plans to introduce a bill aimed at creating a comprehensive framework to tackle the issue of out-of-school children in the state.
Dr. Nasiru Ahmed Ala, Chairman of the House Committee on Education and representative of the Madara/Chinede constituency, made this announcement during a two-day Regional Stakeholders Engagement Meeting on Out-of-School Children and Retention, Transition, and Completion Models in Bauchi, Gombe, and Adamawa states. The event took place at the Emerald Hotel Hall in Gombe, Gombe State, on Thursday.
Expressing deep concern over the staggering number of out-of-school children in Bauchi, estimated at 1.2 million, Ala stressed the critical need for urgent action. He highlighted collaborative efforts with lawmakers from Adamawa and Gombe states to adopt the National Framework of Action to address the issue within their respective states.
Speaking at the workshop, Dr. Tushar Rane, Chief of the UNICEF Bauchi Field Office, reaffirmed the UN agency’s dedication to tackling the high rate of out-of-school children and low learning outcomes, particularly in Nigeria’s north-east and north-west regions. He underscored the workshop’s significance in providing guidance to states on strategies to combat the out-of-school children crisis, enhance community engagement and accountability, leverage innovations and technologies for improved access to quality education, and secure funding to address the issue effectively in Bauchi State.
