The Federal Government has expressed commitment to the reduction of out-of-school children from the current 10.2 million to 5 million by the year 2023 and called on the World Bank to support the country in actualising the set target.
Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu who made the call, said the goal of the current administration was to ensure that Nigerian children have access to qualitative education, irrespective of their economic backgrounds.
Director, Press and Public Relations, Mr Ben Bem Goong, in a statement, on Wednesday in Abuja, said Adamu spoke when a delegation of the World Bank, led by its Country Director, Mr Shubham Chawdry, paid him a working visit.
The Minister, who expressed discomfort at the number of out-of-school children in the country, said that the Federal Government was keen on reducing the number in addition to improving the standard of education in the country.
He said that the Ministry was currently working with the World Bank on projects aimed at encouraging children back to school, particularly in the area of increased enrollment of the girl-child.
While commending the Bank on its commitment to the development of the nations educational sector, Adamu expressed governments readiness for better interventions that would tackle obstacles to the eradication of the out-of-school children phenomenon.
In his remarks, World Bank Director, Shubham Chawdry, reiterated his organisation’s commitment to the improvement of the nation’s education sector.
Chawdry, who emphasised that education is a sure way of eliminating poverty, pledged the readiness of his organisation to assist in financing more developmental projects.
The Country Director also declared the World Banks interest in long-lasting projects, adding that his organisation will no longer dictate developmental projects but leave the decision to governments as they are in the best position to ascertain the needs of their citizens.
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