Abuja: Mr Tanko Isuwa, the Education Secretary of the Local Education Authority (LEA) in Bwari, FCT, has announced intensified efforts to address the increasing number of out-of-school children in the district.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, although there is no specific data on the number of out-of-school children in Bwari Area Council, a significant number of children aged six to eleven are not attending school across most communities. Isuwa stated that since 2024, the LEA has been mobilizing these children to return to school as part of a mandate by the council.
The secretariat is collaborating with religious leaders and community heads to devise effective strategies to address the issue. "We are on it 24/7 to make sure that all the children return to school irrespective of their challenges, because a society that is not educated is bound to have all types of crises," Isuwa remarked. He emphasized the importance of involving all necessary stakeholders to formulate better measures for resolving the situation.
Isuwa noted that significant progress has been made, though he did not provide specific numbers or categories of children affected. He highlighted concerns about public primary school structures in the Kubwa area that have been vandalized and taken over by unauthorized individuals, and assured that plans are underway to reclaim these facilities.
"We are aware of the situation and have written to the council chairman for urgent action on how to go about it and stop them from destroying our properties," he added.
On the issue of ongoing demands from striking workers in the council, Isuwa urged all stakeholders to engage in a roundtable discussion to find a lasting solution. He appealed to the council administration to consider the workers' plight.