BESDA: Bauchi State targets over 150 thousand Out of School Children for enrolment in 2022.

By Abubakar Baba Ahmad.

Education Stakeholders in Bauchi State have restated commitment to meet the enrollment target of one hundred and fifty three thousand out of school children in the state.

The target is set for the sixteen local government areas participating in the Better Education Service Delivery for All BESDA, World Bank Assisted project for 2022.
The local governments are Alkaleri, Bauchi, Dass,Toro, Ningi, Gamawa, Darazo, Misau, Katagum, Ganjuwa, Giade, Shira, Jama’are, Dambam, Itas Gadau and Zaki.

They made the pledge at a two day sensitisation workshop on the objectives of Better Education Service Delivery for All BESDA organised by the State Universal Basic Education Board SUBEB in Bauchi.

One of them and Chairman Toro local government Alhaji Adamu Danyaro Geji who expressed shock over the number of out of school children especially within his council, promised to work towards changing the narrative.

Adamu Geji said though the council has a large number of students in the senior secondary education level, the statistics in the basic education may not be unconnected with the exodus of people from neighbouring states and communities due to insecurity.

Speaking on behalf of traditional and religious leaders, the District Head of Pali Alhaji Garba Muhammad Sambo who decried non inclusion of stakeholders in policy formulation and implementation, called on authorities concerned to make amends towards overcoming the obstacles.

The Executive Chairman State Universal Basic Education Board SUBEB Dr Abubakar Surunbai Sheikh Dahiru noted that insurgency has increased the problem of out of school children, hence the need for a collaborative effort to surmount the problem.

On his part, the State Focal Person of BESDA project Malam Nura Ahmad said the project which surpassed its target of fifty three thousand enrolment in nine participating local government areas last year, seeks to consolidate on the success in 2022.

Other partners at the workshop to include High level Women Advocacy HILWA, UBEC and UNICEF underscored the importance of media sensitisation and awareness campaign, monitoring and evaluation among others to ensure the successful implementation of the project.