By Joseph Erunke
ABUJA—HIGH birth  rate and insurgency ravaging North-East have increased the number of out-of school children in Nigeria, Universal Basic Education Commission, UBEC, has said.

The commission said a recent Demography Health Survey, DHS, undertaken by the Federal Ministry of Education in collaboration with United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund,UNICEF, showed that the number of out-of-school children rose from 10.5 million to 13.2 million within three years.

Osinbajo teaching the children at the Abagana IDP camp the song “I am a winner in the name of the Lord”

Executive Secretary of UBEC, Hamid Bobboyi, who said this at a pre-conference briefing on Northern Nigeria Traditional Rulers Conference on out-of-school children, yesterday, said government was making arrangements to engage traditional and religious leaders to carry out campaign on getting the children back to schools.

The revelation came as the Emir of Argungun, Alhaji Samaila Mera, warned that unless traditional rulers began to take full responsibility in assisting government to solve the problems of out-of-school children, Nigeria would be sitting on gunpowder.

The UBEC boss,who spoke through his representative and Director of  Social Mobilisation, Mr Bello Kagara, lamented that the out-of school children, which number stood at 10.5 million in 2015 had risen to 13.2 million so far. According to him, up to 2015, the figure was 10.5 million.

He said, over the last few years due to insurgency challenge and with increasing number of birth, the DHS jointly conducted by UNICEF and Ministry of Education showed that the new figure was standing at 13.2 million.

He said:  “For some years now, Nigeria has been besieged by Boko Haram insurgency, which has led to the near collapse of education in the North-East.

“If you add the number of out-of-school children that have been displaced and with the increasing number of birth, you will find out that our source in DHS revealed the out-of-school children has increased to 13.2 million.”

Also, speaking at the event, the  Executive Secretary, National Commission for Mass Literary, Adult and Non formal Education,  Prof. Abba Haladu, said Nigeria must at this point look for ways to solve the menace.

According to him, solving the   problems will make Nigerian children have access to basic quality education.

The Emir of Argungun, Alhaji Samaila Mera, noted that the involvement of traditional rulers was key in solving the problems of out-of-school children in Nigeria.

He identified socio-cultural factors as a major problem confronting the challenges hindering northern children from going to school.

According to him, the reasons behind children who are out of school in northern Nigeria  are different and are dependent on the socio-cultural and economic environment barriers and bottlenecks.

The emir explained that the barriers included the cost of education, poverty and negative perceptions to formal education, saying these factors influenced the educational choices parents make in the region.

On his part, the Chief Education Specialist, UNICEF, Mr Terry Durnnian, said the world could only address the problem of out-of-school children, if Nigeria played its role in addressing the scourge of Boko Haram insurgency.

He promised that his organisation would take on the challenge of reducing the number of out-of-school children in the country.

Hear him:  “We are ready to make commitment for actions, the process has begun by UNICEF to lead and support the process of reducing the number of out-of-school children in Nigeria.”