“10m Nigerian Children Are Out Of School, Despite Free & Compulsory Primary Education” – Lawan

The President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan has decried the growing population of Nigerian children who are currently out of school, which he said stood at 10 million.

While reading his welcome address at the plenary on Tuesday, Lawan said that the issue of children dropping out of schools was a concern to him as a former university lecturer and to the 9th Senate, saying that efforts would be made to address the challenge.

“If there is one issue that is dear to me and which we must all take very seriously, it is that more than 10 million of our children are out of school, ” he said.

“As a former lecturer who has also in the past chaired the House of Representatives Committee on Education, I subscribe to the view that all children, no matter where they live or what their circumstances, have the right to quality education.

“Even though primary education is officially free and compulsory, over 10 million of the country’s children aged 5 – 14 years are out of school.

“This is a challenge for us in the next four years.

“I am well aware that the problems of our country are quite enormous but they are not insurmountable.

“ If we all work together as members of the same government, with different roles, we will achieve our goals to better the lot of the Nigerian people.’’

Lawan also said efforts on how best to tackle growing inequality, security challenge would form the legislative agenda.