The Kaduna State Government has begun a campaign to enrol 145,553 out-of-school children in schools, under the World Bank-supported Better Education Service Delivery for All (BESDA) programme.

The Kaduna State Universal Basic Education Board (KADSUBEB) Desk Officer Area I Lead, BESDA, Esther Jibji, made this known at the opening of a one-day stakeholders’ sensitisation on enrolment of out-of-school children in Kaduna.

Jibji explained that BESDA, which began in the state in 2019, was specifically designed to address the menace of out-of-school children.

She said that the board has enrolled over 500,000 out-of-school children in school in the first phase of the programme, of which 312,785 children have been verified by the National Population Commission (NPC).

She added that the state has secured additional grants to return more out-of-school children to school, stressing the need for the stakeholders’ sensitisation.

“This is why we organised the sensitisation to solicit the support of parents and caregivers, religious and community leaders to ensure that every school-age child is enrolled in school.

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“As you may have noticed, despite Kaduna SUBEB efforts to enrol all children in school, some children are still roaming the streets during school hours.

“Education for all is the responsibility of all. We need the support of all stakeholders to ensure that no child is left behind,” Jibji said.

The desk officer identified some of the out-of-school children as children roaming the streets, children from poor and vulnerable households, children with disabilities, girl child, and nomadic children among others.

She said t some of the children could be found on the streets, motor packs, farms, while others were hidden in their houses due to their disability.

Jibji added that Kaduna SUBEB has established non-formal learning centres in some parts of the state.

According to her, the measure is part of efforts to take learning opportunities to the doorsteps of children who could not attend formal schools.

In her remarks, the Education Secretary Kaduna North Local Government Education Authority, Farida Ibrahim, described the BESDA programme as crucial to addressing the problem of out-of-school children in the state.

Ibrahim, however, urged parents and caregivers to enrol their children in school to acquire quality education needed to live a quality life and contribute to social development.

On his part, the acting Director, Social Mobilisation, Kaduna SUBEB, Kabiru Lawal, urged religious leaders to sensitise their followers during sermons in churches and mosques.

Lawal said primary one to three pupils were being supported with learning materials including uniforms under the programme.

BESDA, a Programme for Result (P for R), was initiated by the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) with support from the Federal Ministry of Education.

The programme began in 2019, with a 611 million-dollar loan from the World Bank, which the Federal Government gave 17 participating states as a grant.

The Star