To reduce the current high number of out-of-school children in Nigeria, a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), Mil-Vision Foundation has announced her plan to send 3 million out-of-school children back to school by 2030.
While noting that the estimated number of out-of-school children in the country according to United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) stood at 13.5 million, the group said it will also help to combat the menace of illiteracy in the country.
Founder of Mil-Vision Foundation, Mr Chike Victor Ibezim stated this during the official launch of the foundation’s activities at LEA Primary School Tunga-Maje, Abuja.
“Our vision clearly states that by 2030, we will send 3 million out-of-school children in Nigeria back to the classroom. We recognise that it is a very big task; however, we are committed to achieving this through the goodwill and donations of our partners, adequate monitoring, evaluation and reporting of our activities, as well as, maximally leveraging the individual and collective strengths of our volunteers.
“Our organisation remains committed to providing quality education to indigent kids. We understand that education builds a nation. Developed countries today have invested heavily in education and it works for them.
“Primary school education is the most important stage in a child’s life, if a child is giving primary school education, it is easier for such children to speak for themselves, learn skills and live a more responsible life.”
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Also speaking at the event, Headmistress of LEA Primary School, Hajia Usman Takwa said also lamented that despite the fact that there are about 2, 789 schoolchildren in the local government, there are still many out-of-school children, adding that only 97 teachers are available in their schools.
“We currently have 1812 boys and 977 girls but we still have so many out-of-school children out there in Tungan-Maja.
“The community is quite big and densely populated but we have only 97 teachers and limited infrastructure so it is beyond my power to get more students to school.”
The group also gave out hundred per cent scholarship awards covering tuition fee, school uniforms, school bags, and writing materials to thirty-one indigent students.