Steering committee rolls out roadmap on alternate school programme for out-of-school children

The National Steering Committee on Alternate School Programme held its inaugural meeting, on Monday, as part of ongoing efforts aimed at addressing challenges facing out-of-school children in Nigeria.

Members of the committee who met in Abuja mapped out strategies and action plan to address the challenges of out-of-school children in Nigeria and to rapidly reduce the number by providing them with quality basic education and skills in special settings not addressed in a conventional school system.

In her opening remarks, the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Umar Farouq, said that Nigeria topped the list of out-of-school children in the world, hence the decision of the federal government to develop strategic plans by the recently inaugurated Steering committee.

Farouq who doubles as co-Chairperson and Convener of the meeting, said: “You’re all aware that Nigeria is the leading nation in the world with the most out-of-school children.

“Consequently, President Muhammadu Buhari launched the Alternate School Programme (ASP) to ensure that every out-of-school child in Nigeria gains access to quality basic education, irrespective of social, cultural or economic circumstance.

“The Alternate School Programme is expected to help provide opportunities for out-of-school children to develop life-supporting skills from vocational and entrepreneurship training for effective functioning in society.

ALSO READ: Covid-19: ‘800 million is the target’ as Africa begins vaccination

“Each member of this National Steering Committee has been carefully chosen in expectation of the immense value you will bring in charting the strategic direction of this programme,” she noted.

According to her, the Alternate School Programme was designed to improve access to education for all Nigerians children in line with the aspirations of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG-4) on ‘Qualitative and inclusive education for all and significantly reduce the number of out-of-school-children through the integration of formal and informal educational systems.

The initiative was also geared at eliminating or substantially reducing itinerancy, child begging and foster tolerance, unity and integration of all children with diverse backgrounds.

The Terms of Reference for the National Steering Committee include ensuring engagement and effective uptake of the ASP initiatives across the country, refining and focusing on the vision of the initiative, reviewing and approving all work, implementation plans and undertaking any other task that will enhance the effective delivery of the initiative.

The 7-man committee co-Chaired by the Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu, also includes other members, namely: Minister of State of Education, Senior Special Assistant to the President on the Sustainable Development Goals, Minister of State, Budget and National Planning, Chairman, Northern Governors’ Forum, Executive Secretary, Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), Representatives of United Nations’ Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) United Nations’ International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) and Global Partnership for Education. Others are Chair, Private Sector Advisory Group (SDGs), Chair, Civil Society Coalition on Sustainable Development; Chair, Senate Committee on Basic Education; Chair, House Committee on Basic Education; Hon Dr Shehu Balarabe Kakale, Director General NYSC, and the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Bashir Nura Alkali- Secretary.

NIGERIAN TRIBUNE

Steering committee rolls out roadmap on Alternate school programme for out-of-school children

Steering committee rolls out roadmap on Alternate school programme for out-of-school children