The Honourable Minister of State for Education, Dr. Suwaiba Ahmad, has called on all the participants and stakeholders at the ongoing 2024 Basic Education in Nigeria Bootcamp (BEN-B)/summit in Lagos to collectively address Out -of-School menaces as education remains the cornerstone of national development. Ensuring every Nigerian child has access to quality learning opportunities requires a collective commitment.
She emphasised that the theme and the objectives of the summit align with the Federal Government’s unwavering focus on transforming the Basic Education sector to equip children for a brighter future and also reaffirmed the Federal Government’s continued commitment to implementing policies and programmes that prioritise inclusivity, equality, and excellence in education.
Dr. Suwaiba Ahmad said that the Federal Government is working tirelessly to reduce school dropout rates in Nigeria. At the summit, Dr. Suwaiba Ahmad highlighted the significance of the theme, “Improving Access to Inclusive Education for all Children in Nigeria towards Achieving SDG4” as highly relevant and timely for addressing Universal Basic Education problems.
According to the Minister of State, the summit was to review the implementations from the BEN-B/summit held in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State 2023. She then stated that the objectives of the Bootcamp review include; review of the current state of Basic Education in Nigeria; identify challenges and opportunities for improvement; develop strategies to address challenges and leverage opportunities; foster collaboration among stakeholders and discuss innovative solutions for improving Basic Education.
According to Dr. Suwaiba Ahmad, the Federal Government is striving to ensure unfettered access to nine (9) years of formal basic education. “We recognise the importance of free, universal Basic Education for every Nigerian child of school-going age. Our collective efforts aim to reduce drastically the incidence of dropouts from the formal school system, through improved relevance, quality and efficiency.”
The Minister of state further stated that “It is our duty to provide them with not just an education, but an education of quality and relevance, one that equips them to thrive in a rapidly evolving world”.
The Executive Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, during his remarks explained that the actions and decisions taken would determine the future children inherit, saying we can all make it happen. “Our collective responsibilities backed by policies, with driven action plans, implementation, and effective monitoring, in exploring all possibilities in foundation learning, environmental relevance, and impactful curriculum, with global appealing contents, and of course, skills acquisition and vocation education. We should also be mindful of inclusive education, recognizing that there are abilities in disabilities, an integral element of the future before us.”
The Governor further stated that, “improving access to inclusive quality education for all children in Nigeria requires a multifaceted approach. It demands addressing the root causes of poverty and inequality, improves the quality of education, prioritizes the safety and security of children, and challenges discriminatory attitudes and practices. I rest my hope in faith. I have faith in us. I have faith that together, we can make a difference. We can ensure that every Nigerian child has access to quality education, regardless of their background or circumstances.”
Dr. (Mrs.) Folake Olatunji-David, the Director, Basic Education at the Federal Ministry of Education, revealed in her submission that the Basic Education has enjoyed support in recent years of key stakeholders in the education sector, especially with Mr. President’s June 12 declaration on the enforcement of free and compulsory basic education for the first 9 years of schooling and according to Dr. Suwaiba Ahmad, this has attracted a lot of players to the sub-sector with several interventions to address issues of equity, efficiency and learning outcomes.
Despite all concerted efforts, Dr. (Mrs.) Folake Olatunji-David highlighted key challenges in the sub-sector as insufficient supply of classrooms and infrastructural amenities, low levels of learning outcomes, and low enrolments.
She emphasized the need for significant progress in addressing the challenges in the sub-sector. To achieve this goal, she called for brainstorming to identify key challenges and harmonizing the course of action in improving literacy levels in Nigeria.
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