President Muhammadu Buhari has inaugurated an 18-member Presidential Steering Committee on Alternate School Programme ASP.
At the inauguration which took place at the Presidential Villa on Tuesday, January 26, 2021, President Buhari charged the ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development to coordinate and lead the deployment of a National Plan which will address the issue of out-of-school children in the country.
The President said that it was unacceptable to see children abandoning formal school to engage in menial jobs and child labour in the markets, streets and workshops.
‘‘While we continue to sustain our efforts on providing formal and conventional education through the activities of the Universal Basic Education Commission under the Federal Ministry of Education, it is still a common sight to notice children abandoning formal school to become apprentices in shops, workshops and markets, whilst many others choose to loiter at markets, become cart pushers and hawkers. These are not acceptable”.
President Buhari implored all members of the committee to take the assignment with utmost seriousness adding that “the future of our young people is at stake”.
Earlier, the Chairman of the Committee Umar Farouq thanked the President for his support to the Ministry and for granting the approval for the Alternate School Programme.
The minister noted that the number of Out-of -School children was increasing at an alarming rate, adding that there is urgent need to address the problem with deft response required of such an exigent matter.
“Education serves as a catalyst for the all-round growth and development of any individual. Thus, for any nation to thrive, adequate investment in human capital, by increasing access to quality education, must be prioritised. The United Nations identifies quality education as one of the most powerful and proven vehicles for attaining sustainable development”.
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