Nigeria with 10 million out of school children is among the worst in the world
Nigeria is ranked among the countries
with the highest number of out of school children by UNICEF as almost
one of three primary school aged children and one in four secondary
school aged children is not in school currently.
UNICEF, in its statement, said recent
kidnappings and violent attacks had made it difficult for children in
northern Nigeria to get education, as thousands of families are fleeing
their homes and pulling their children out of school.
In the last three months alone, the
United Nation’s organisation reported that at least 15,000 children in
northern Nigeria had stopped attending classes.
“It’s heart-stopping data,” UNICEF’s chief of child protection, Susan Bissell said.
The organisation’s programmes in Nigeria
focus on the problems of violence and abuse against children in schools
and work to address the issues of girls’ education and out-of-school
children.
The UNICEF-supported Girls’ Education
Project aims to give 1 million girls access to better quality education
in northern Nigeria-through increased enrolment, scholarships for female
teachers and the establishment of safe spaces for girls.