Out-of-school: Nigeria needs 20,000 more schools, 907,769 classrooms —UBEC

The Executive Secretary, Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), Dr Hamid Boboye has said that the country needed additional 20,000 schools and 907,769 classrooms to absorb the growing number of out-of-School Children.

Boboye was speaking in Abuja on Tuesday while briefing the Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman and the minister of State, Dr Yusuf Sununu.

He identified Infrastructural gaps, inadequate manpower as some of the challenges facing the commission in its efforts towards ensuring equitable access to quality basic education.

Responding, Pro. Mamman said that the ministry under him would prioritise basic education in the country.

Mamman also emphasised that the foundation level was the most critical segment in the sector that must be properly developed in order to impact positively on other tiers of the sector and overall national development.

He called on all the states of the federation to show greater commitment towards providing counterpart funding to accelerate the development of basic education in the country.

He added the government of President Bola Tinubu would leave no stone unturned in ensuring that every Nigeria child was brought on board the ship of education.

According to him, the forthcoming National Census will put paid to the controversies surrounding the actual figures of out-of-school children.

Also speaking, Dr Sununu said all hands must be on deck to ensure that Nigerian children get the desired education to prepare them for the future.

Sununu directed the UBEC Chief Executive to take the struggle for counterpart funding to the door step of state governors explaining that an uneducated child is a clear danger to himself and society at large.