Almajiri commission hands over 22,307 out-of-school children to FCT education secretariat

The National Commission for Almajiri and Out-of-School Children’s Education (NCAOOSCE) has handed over 22,307 out-of-school children to the federal capital territory (FCT) education secretariat.

The commission was established in 2023 under the ministry of education to address the issue of out-of-school children and the menace of illiteracy in the country.

In August, the leadership of the parastatal announced that it would mop up 10,000 out-of-school children in the FCT.

However, at the recent handover ceremony in Abuja, Muhammad Idris, the executive secretary, said 22,307 children were identified and gathered from the six area councils in the FCT.

Idris urged the FCT education secretariat to enroll the children into schools in Abuja.

He praised Nyesom Wike, the FCT minister, for his support for education, and urged other state governments to emulate his initiative.

“This administration is very serious about taking our out-of-school children back to school,” he said.

“The President has said that enough is enough and that Nigerians should be given the opportunity to raise their heads in the comity of nations.

“It is no longer going to be business as usual, where people have children, neglect their responsibilities, and send them to the streets.

“Those children have become all sorts of bandits today. Some of them are involved in Boko Haram activities and have done the unbearable things we are suffering from today.

“So, the President said everybody should play their role to ensure the children are back in school, he directed us to mop up 10 million out-of-school children, and this is just the beginning.”

Idris said the commission plans to extend its efforts into the 36 states of the federation to “remove vulnerable children from the streets”.

Also speaking at the event, Danlami Hayyo, the FCT mandate secretary for education, said part of its initiative includes the ‘Back to School’ initiative designed to provide an alternative to structured curriculum for the children.

“They will be enrolled under the ‘Back to School’ initiative for integration into our classrooms,” he said.

“This is a landmark moment not only for these young learners but also for us as educators, policymakers, and stakeholders in Nigeria’s future.

“The FCT administration has always prioritised equal and accessible quality education for all children, regardless of their background.

“Our mission is to ensure that every child, whether from an urban or rural setting, is provided with the tools and opportunities to thrive in an inclusive learning environment.”