By Ikenna Osuoha
Abuja – The Proprietress, Golden Age Academy, Mrs Esther Aliyu, has decried the current decrease in primary and nursery schools enrollment in the country.
Aliyu, who stated this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja, attributed the development to the lingering economic recession in the country.
She appealed to the Federal Government to intervene for quick solution to the problem.
Aliyu said that a large percentage of Nigeria’s school age children were already out of school.
She said that such development was not only inimical to growth of education, but a threat to national security.
“When children within the ages of 6 to 11 drop out from school, they seek alternatives like hawking and other menial occupations.
“These occupations of course are not promising and fulfilling, however, there is always a tendency of resorting to crime or militancy or terrorism.
“Such can lead to issues of insecurity and nuisance to the country’s economic and political co-existence.’’
Aliyu called for immediate solution to avert a national disaster, adding that an aggressive response approach was imperative.
“United Nation’s Children’s Education Fund’s (UNICEF) ranks Nigeria as one of the countries of the world that has higher ratio of out-of-school children.
“UNICEF says that about 10.5 million Nigerian children are out of school, meaning the future is very uncertain educationally,’’ she said.
She said that the problem had given rise to corruption in many places and urged government to beam its searchlight on the education sector.
The proprietress expressed concern at the rate at which money meant for schools development were being misappropriated.