While painting a grim picture of the effect of the scourge of out-of-school children in Zamfara State in a recent viral video footage, Governor Dauda Lawal asked a rhetorical question: “What are the causes of insecurity?”
He provided an answer: “Zamfara State has a population of about six million people. More than half of that population are young men and women. And these guys are idle. They don’t go to school. So, what do you expect? Crime to go up.” Unfortunately, most of Nigeria’s out-of-school children are in Northern Nigeria.
Reports indicate that the number of Nigeria’s of out-of-school children, between ages five and 14 is about 18.3 million. Some contend the figure may be higher. Out of this number, 10.2 million are of primary school age and 8.1 million are of secondary school age.
EXPOSED!! POPULAR ABUJA DOCTOR REVEALED HIDDEN SECRET ON HOW MEN CAN NATURALLY AND PERMANENTLY CURE POOR ERECTION,QUICK EJACULATION, SMALL AND SHAMEFUL MANHOOD WITHOUT SIDE EFFECTS. EVEN IF YOU ARE HYPERTENSIVE OR DIABETIC ..STOP THE USE OF HARD DRUG FOR SEX!! IT KILLS!
Another related dismal statistics is that about 74 per cent of Nigerian children aged between seven and 14 cannot read or solve mathematical problems. The implication is that many young citizens lack the capacity for conceptual thinking and ability to solve problems.
These disadvantaged kids cannot contribute to achieving the objectives of Nigeria’s education policy, which are: “A free and democratic society; a just and egalitarian society; a united, strong and self-reliant nation; a great and dynamic economy; and a land of bright and full opportunities for all citizens.”
Instead, they remain a threat to security. The situation has led to closure of schools and further insecurity, mostly in Northern Nigeria. Reports indicate that insecurity has led to closure of 113 schools in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa States alone.
Observers, including Dr. Yusuf Tanko Sununu, former Minister of State for Education, Dr. Hamid Bobboyi, Executive Secretary of Universal Basic Education Commission, and Cristian Mundrate, UNICEF Representative in Nigeria, have called for measures to secure schools to enable children to learn without hindrances.
Children with the misfortune of missing out on education that should train their minds and them equip with skills, abilities and attitudes that will enable them to contribute to the development of society only end up dragging down the country.
Advertisement
But those who got the opportunity of the right grade of education can use their intellect and hands and become professionals, artisans and entrepreneurs who can create jobs for themselves and others, instead of looking up, or waiting for, government to provide them with jobs or handouts.
It is evident that the significant number of out-of-school children has led to insecurity that has scared off potential foreign and even domestic investors who could have raised Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product and reduced unemployment.
According to Global Terrorism Index, Nigeria lost $40.60 billion investments to terrorism in 2020, and spent $78.43 million of good money combating insecurity. In a 2019 United Nations Development Programme report, Nigeria lost $40.28 million in fatalities and injuries, and another $598.8 million in destruction of properties as a result of insecurity.
It is needless to add that insecurity in the farms has led to food inflation that rose as high as 39.16 per cent in recent months. In 2019, Dr. John Kayode Fayemi, then Governor of Ekiti State, revealed that Nigeria lost a staggering $14 billion to farmer-herder clashes, which escalated between 2016 and 2021.
Regrettably, former President Muhammadu Buhari contributed to the ginormous loss by choosing to ignore the problem, allegedly because the marauding herders belonged to his ethnic group. In addition to the devastating economic effects of the clashes, deep mutual distrust has been sown among ethnic groups in Nigeria.
But the good news is that some progressive leaders of Northern Nigeria have come to the realization of the security and economic threat that out-of-school children have become for the North and the rest of Nigeria, and they are preparing to take measures against it.
These Northern Nigerian progressives, including Zamfara State Governor Lawal, realise that education is key to overcoming the insecurity and economic problems that have bedeviled the North and the rest of Nigeria in recent times.
Governor Lawal disclosed: “That is why we had to declare a state of emergency in education, to make sure that these people are educated. And when they are educated, they are taken care of. And when they graduate, they have something doing.”
We hope leaders from other regions will join the crusade to up the educational ante of Northern Nigeria, whose people are suffering the triple scourge of illiteracy, poverty and disease, for no fault of their own. The weight of the economic and social tolls on the people is too much and efforts must be made to end it quickly.
