Nigeria’s Education Crisis Is  affecting Children - Unicef  laments

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), on Monday, lamented that the education crisis in Nigeria is grossly affecting children across the country, saying Nigerian child’s rights to education is far from being actualised.

Peter Hawkins, UNICEF Representative in Nigeria, in a message to celebrate the International Day of Education, decried report that a full one-third of Nigerian children are not in school, and one in five out-of-school children in the world is Nigerian.

Hawkins noted that all Nigerian children deserve a fighting chance, no matter who they are or where they are and that this must include education. In his words, “It is not only their right – it is the smartest and best way to secure the future of Nigeria as a whole”.

He noted that at least 10.5 million children are out of school in Nigeria and that number is the highest rate in the world.

He recounted that in 2021, there were 25 attacks on schools. 1,440 children were abducted, and 16 children were killed.

He further disclosed that in March 2021 alone, no fewer than 618 schools were closed in six northern states (Sokoto, Zamfara, Kano, Katsina, Niger, and Yobe) over the fear of attack and abduction of pupils and members of staff, stressing that the closure of schools in these states significantly contributed to learning losses for over two months

He said: “A full one-third of Nigerian children are not in school, and one in five out-of-school children in the world is Nigerian,” it decried.