UNICEF commences enumeration of out-of-school children in Adamawa

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), in collaboration with Adamawa State Universal Basic Education Board (ADSUBEB), has commenced house-to-house enumeration of out of school children in Adamawa.

The Adamawa UNICEF Education Consultant, Mr Joel Jutum, while speaking on the exercise in an interview with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday in Yola, said that the 14-day exercise was taking place in five local government areas.

He said the Local Government Areas are Fofure, Girei, Mubi North, Guyuk and Yola South.

“The programme was based on a survey which indicated that out of the 10.5 million out-of-school children in Nigeria, Adamawa state has 485,000, which is disturbing.

“UNICEF has decided to support Adamawa State, working together with ADSUBEB, to ensure that the children are identified,” Jutum said.

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He explained that the enumerators were using the Area Demarcation Map provided by the National Population Commission, which identified about 180,000 households in the five local government areas.

Jutum said data to be obtained from the households included the number of children between three to 17 years, whether they are in school or had dropped out, and if they are going to Tsangaya or Almajiri school.

“We have 17 reasons why a child will be out of school; we are going to ask each child to select the first three major reasons why he is not in school.

“At the end,, we are going to get the number of children between three to 17 years that are out of school, those that drooped out, the ones in school and the level they are in.

” It will also give us clarity in terms of gender segregation; how many are boys and how many are girls,” Jutum said

He noted that the exercise sponsored by UNICEF in the five local government areas would later be conducted in the remaining 16 LGAs by Adamawa State government.

He said that the Field Office of UNICEF in Bauchi was also engaged in a similar exercise in Bauchi and Gombe states.

NAN