Sola Ojo, Kaduna
Executive Secretary of the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), Dr. Hamid Bobboyi, on Wednesday, highlighted early marriage, especially of girls, pervading Almajiri as top bane of educational development of Northern Nigeria.
He also mentioned child labour, parental attitude towards education of their children and low parental literacy as additional issues which require urgent action to address the phenomenon of out-of-school children currently peg at 10.5 million.
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Bobboyi, who was represented by his deputy (Services), Dr. Yakubu Gambo, at a two-day Northern Nigeria Traditional Leader Conference on out-of-school children, holding in Kaduna, described the identified issues as ‘serious’ concern for the region.
According to him, it is a source of worry that, the Northern Nigeria which hitherto had standing history for educational pursuit and development is today scornfully looked down upon nationally and being pity by the international community for lack of educational development and fervid poverty.
He was then confident that, the region can adequately address its educational challenges with traditional leaders ready to take the lead.