By
Babangida Galleon
Adamawa state Government has frowned at the increased number of out of school children in the state.
The state commissioner for education, Garba Umar Pella stated this during an engagement meeting, setting of enrollment drive committee and round table discussion with stakeholders on the conduct of enrollment drive campaign for children between the ages of 6-12 and adolescent 13-17 to enroll in literacy and TVET intervention in 50 schools across Adamawa state, held in Yola the state capital.
The commissioner for Education, Garba Umar Pella Said the number of out of school children in the state is alarming hence the need to inaugurate the drive enrollment committee which will be saddled with the task of ensuring that all out of school children in the state have been enrolled.
Garba Umar Pella, who is the Chairman of Global Partnership for Education, Transforming education system at the state level Steering committee said statistics has shown that most of the out of the school children in the state were from the neighboring states who trooped in as a result of the relative peace in the state.
According to the commissioner, there are two ways approach in place to ensure the enrollment of the out of school children through community engagement and the enforcement of the child act law and enforcement of the universal basic education, UBEC law.
He therefore called on parents to allow their children to go to school so as to avoid contravening this laws of the land.
The Gender and special needs officer of the project, Maryamu Ayuba Ali Said the aim of the enrollment drive was to reach the communities of the selected schools and engage with them on the project and how it stands to benefit the children of these communities irrespective of their gender and condition.
In his opening remarks, the Project coordinator, Global partnerships for education, Michael Medugu Chinda said the essence of the engagement was to acquaint the stakeholders with the activities of the project especially in the areas of enrollment of school children in the fifty selected schools across the state.
Some of the stakeholders who contributed during the engagement suggested that government should put in place measures that will check mate the activities of the out of school children through monitoring of market places to ensure none of them is hawking in the streets, introduction of incentives and imposition of the child’s right acts since it has been domesticated in the state.
They also called on all and sundry to take ownership and fully participate in the drive for the enrollment and for the development of education in the state.
