Ogun state government inaugurates committee on out of school children

The Ogun State Government has inaugurated a stakeholders’ committee on School Enrollment Drive to get more out of school children into the state education.

Penpushing reports that, Special Adviser to the Ogun State Governor on Primary and Secondary Education, Mrs Ronke Soyombo while speaking at the official inauguration held at Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta, said government is worried about the numbers of out of school children in the state.

The Special Adviser said the government having expended huge public funds on the rehabilitation and renovation of schools across the state is determined to ensure that more children roaming the streets are wooed to occupying the yet unoccupied conducive learning environment awaiting them.

Penpushing further reports that, Soyombo noted that government is taking bold steps in conjunction with the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), Abuja to flag off  an advocacy to the nooks and crannies of the state towards  driving more enrollment in the primary schools.

The Special Adviser who noted that the state government was first to launch virtual learning both on Television and Radio in the country in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic has also achieved 95 percent compliance in the coronavirus school guidelines for effective learning.

Penpushing also reports that, she informed that the state government will aggressively mobilize all stakeholders including school-based management committee, Parents Teachers Association(PTA), Civil Societies and the media to elicit parental consents of out of school children to enrol them in school through a well-orchestrated literacy and numeracy education to the nooks and crannies of the State.

The Special Adviser added that there are still rooms to accommodate the prospective pupils following the educational reforms and school rehabilitations being implemented by the  government, noting there was need to influence change of attitude and behaviour among parents, Community members towards improving primary school enrollment.

Penpushing reports that, she  maintained that the State Government was working in line the United Nations goal of ending poverty in all forms everywhere, saying one way of achieving this is through education just as she noted that the government was committed to ensure inclusive and quality education for all.

The Special Adviser informed that the issue of over-crowding in schools has been addressed through construction if new ones in partnership with UBEC while 20 E-learning Libraries are underway across the 20 Local Government Areas of the State.

Penpushing further reports that, the Universal Basic Education Commission, Mrs.  Osas Kingsley-Odia in her remarks commended the state for keying into the enrollment drive initiative of UBEC to drive year to year aggressive enrolment of out of school children which according to her was in line with the mandate of the commission.

The Commission’s representative highlighted some of the challenges to under enrollment of school age children to include economic challenges, unapproved charges, inadequate teachers among others, calling on all stakeholders to give genuine support and commitment to ensuring that no child is left behind and ensure qualitative primary education for all children of school age.