The Minister of Education, Tahir Mamman, has revealed the intention of the Federal Government to phase out the phenomenon of out-of-school children plaguing the country.
This is as he lauded the Akwa Ibom State governor, Umo Éno, for basic education infrastructural development in the state.
This was contained in a press statement made available to newsmen by the Press Unit of Government House, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State on Sunday.
The minister who was in Uyo for the University of Lagos 1984 Law Class reunion, made the comment during a tour of the remodelled Christ the King School on Wellington Bassey Way, Uyo.
Mamman said he was impressed by the initiative and imprints of the state government, describing the gesture as creating an “attractive environment and enticement to boost school enrollment.”
This, the minister said was in line with President Bola Tinubu’s vision of reversing the decline in school enrollments, adding that there was a need for collaboration among the local government, state and the Federal Government to get it right.
He said, “Indeed, there is hope for us as a country with the effort of all the governors and every body and the Federal Government working together collaboratively.
“For us at the federal level, particularly President Bola Tinubu, that is our area of focus. We want the out-of school children to be a matter of history, and this is the way to do it.”
Earlier, the governor said his administration’s determination to pay attention to education at the primary level was informed by the need to spur up the willingness and passion for education among school children.
He reiterated the need for collaboration between the state and Federal Government in revamping the primary education, healthcare, amongst others, to the advantage of the states and country in general.
“We call upon the Federal Government to support what we are doing. It is about children and the future of our children. Again, I want to underscore something here that the Federal and state government can collaborate,” he said.
Eno said his target is to replicate the model school across the 31 Local Government Areas, adding that the model will be complemented with teachers training to ensure a complete facelift for primary education in the state.
He stated further that his administration is comitted towards rural development and and upgrade in primary schools and healthcare facilities as a strategy to attain rural development.
“I am passionate about the rural development but you also know that education is the foundation. Lack of education carries with it a lot of danger. So our ambition is to see what we can do, not just the building. We will furnish it, train the teachers, ensure that we do a total facelift in our primary education.”
Punch
