Funmi Ogundare
As part of efforts to reduce the increasing number of out-of-school children, the Lagos State Universal Basic Education Board recently paid a courtesy visit to the Ministry of Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation to seek its support in achieving its mantra of leaving no child behind in accessing basic education.
During the visit led by the Chairman of SUBEB, Wahab Alawiye-King and members of the board, he disclosed that the purpose of the visit was to see how they could tackle the menace of OSC in the state.
He revealed that curtailing the number of children out of school goes beyond the distribution of school kits. He said the board observed that most children drop out of school due to socio-economic reasons.
Alawiye-King appealed to the ministry to provide succour to the parents of these children of school age through its various empowerment initiatives, as this will boost enrollment and retention rates in public primary schools.
“Education is a social good, the demand always outweighs its supply, as such, there must be some sort of intervention, but if the intervention is not structured, coordinated and managed, it can further lead to imbalances,” he said.
The SUBEB boss also sought the ministry’s intervention in combatting cases of violence against children in society, particularly child labour, molestation, and rape.
In her response, the Commissioner, Ministry of Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Mrs. Cecilia Bolaji Dada, pledged her support in the aspect of empowerment for parents of the pupils, adding that the ministry is always ready to partner with the board in addressing issues related to violence against the children among other issues bedevilling children.
