By Aisha Mohammed
Traditional rulers in Adamawa State have expressed dismay over the high number of out of school children in the state, attributing it to the continued disregard for traditional institutions.
They made this known during the Adamawa State Traditional Leaders’ Engagement on Reducing Out of School Children and Achieving Learning Outcomes, held in Numan Local Government Area.
The Paramount Ruler of the Bachama Chiefdom, Hama Bachama Ismaila Shaga, who spoke on behalf of the Emirs and Chiefs, noted that traditional institutions have historically played a significant role in promoting school enrollment, especially for girls, and ensuring that children stay in school until completion.
He advised governments at all levels to address the deplorable condition of schools and other infrastructure in the education sector.
Hama Bachama also called for the recognition of traditional institutions with constitutional roles and legal backing to enable them to function effectively.
The traditional rulers commended development partners, especially the United Nations Children’s Fund UNICEF, for their interventions and pledged their cooperation to ensure the success of the program.
The Adamawa State Commissioner for Education, Ministry of Education and Human Capital Development, Garba Pella, represented by the Permanent Secretary, Aisha Mohammed, acknowledged that traditional institutions are central to driving development at the grassroots.
He expressed optimism that the strategic engagement would help reduce the number of out of school children.
Explaining the objective of the meeting, UNICEF Education Specialist at the Bauchi Field Office, Abdurrahman Ado, said the goal was to promote accountability and strengthen the role of traditional leaders in improving school enrollment, retention, and transition particularly for out of school children, girls, and other vulnerable learners across Adamawa State.
Ado appealed to stakeholders in the education sector, especially traditional leaders, for their support and collaboration.
In an interview with Radio Nigeria, Fombina News, the UNICEF Chief of Field Office Bauchi, Nuzhat Rafique, said UNICEF is committed to ensuring that every child’s basic rights especially that of education is protected.
Nuzhat expressed hope that the involvement of traditional institutions would significantly reduce the number of out of school children in Adamawa State.
The one-day event was organized by the Adamawa State Ministry of Education and Human Capital Development in collaboration with the UNICEF Bauchi Field Office and the Global Partnership for Education GPE.
It had in attendance all six Emirs and Chiefs from the Adamawa Southern Zone, including Hama Bachama, Hama Bata, Murum Mbula, Amna Shelleng, Kwandi Nunguraya, and Gangwari Ganye, as well as top government officials and other stakeholders in the state’s education sector.
Leave a Reply