Governors of the 36 states of the federation have expressed worry that the country is faced with a challenging crisis in education, saying foundational skills are critical building blocks for achieving educational objectives.
Chairman of the Nigerian Governors Forum (NGF) and Kwara State governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, stated this on Thursday in Abuja, during the State-Level Workshop on Foundational Learning and Out-of-School Children.
Daily Trust reports that Nigeria is grappling with several challenges in the education sector including the issue of out-of-school children.
In January this year, the Minister of Education, Olatunji Alausa, said the federal government was working closely with state governors to address the issue of out-of-school children, stressing that the number of out-of-school children was mind-boggling and disturbing.
He disclosed this during the 2025 budget defence session hosted by the Joint Committee on Tertiary Institutions, TETFund, and Education at the National Assembly Complex in Abuja.
Governor AbdulRazaq in his speech read by NGF Education Advisor, Leo The Great, said, “Nigeria is faced with a crisis. We are dealing with some out-of-school children. However, enrollment in school for most children does not translate into actual learning.”
He disclosed that nationwide data indicates a 66% out-of-school rate among primary school-age children in Nigeria, noting that the poor quality of education has led to high dropout rates, as well as low transition and completion levels.
”Foundational skills are not merely the end goal of an educational system; they are also critical building blocks for achieving other educational objectives, including retention and progression from one level to the next.
“As critical stakeholders in the education ecosystem, we understand that there is now a focus standing on the provision of quality education, especially for foundational learning, to enhance the success of globally tested learning methodology and technology,” he said.
As part of the challenges, the Kwara State Governor expressed concern that the education sector’s workforce is both insufficient and undervalued. “Specifically, basic education and the course of national governance in Nigeria are underfunded,” he said.
“The issue at hand goes beyond out-of-school children. It is actually about whether the children who find their way to classrooms are learning, particularly in our rural communities,” she said.
DAILY TRUST.
