SDGs: Tackling menance of ‘out of school Children’ towards addressing illiteracy, poverty and disease in Nigeria

Sustainabe Developement Goals SDGs is encompass into 17 critical goals meant to alleviate the critical sectors of human development and emancipation, not only in the global fora but, underdeveloped, developing, and developed countries.

With the systematic and gradual implementation of these goals, it does not distract it from avoidable teething problems that had defied the international and domestic efforts, due to human errors and furtutious circumstances.

But in Nigerian context, the handlers commendable efforts knew no bound as effforts are being redoubled to ensure all the goals are achieved within the given time frame and period particularly the 2020/2030 circle.

Given the critical nature of these goals desiring collective attention, stakeholders in synergy with both private and public institutions concerted efforts, to address the growing consequences of the goals amidst other contending variables.

SDGs in Nigeria taken cognisance of this variables had prioritise education at the front burner of its programmes, since it form the crux that will address poverty, disease, and all forms of Illiteracy in the country.

Through the systematic and gradual approach to this emergency situations and contending with the growing numbers of ‘Out of School’ children, capable of creating negative multiplier effects, the need for special attention and actions on the militating situation is germane.

With efforts to bring to bare several initiatives
of government through SDGs, by providing the enabling environment through structures, funding, provision of instructional materials, and personnel to all the nooks and crannies of the country, targeted at school age children, quality health care and provision of infrastructural facilities.

This had brought about the growing concerns by the handlers of the programmes in Nigeria, under the leadership of the SSA to the President, Princess Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire whose efforts is redoubled towards reducing to the barest minimum, the number of children who were ‘Out of School’ as a result of one situation or the other, particularly the third world countries like Nigeria.

The SSA without reservation and mincing words expressed worries over the sad development, inspite of concerted efforts by government and the global body, to address the negative trend, through provision of adequate facilities and conducive atmosphere for learning and teaching.

To this end, she promised to redress the growing anomaly within the shortest possible time, having taken congnisance through research and verification the population of the ‘Out of School’ children with efforts to return them back to school in the public fora.

This development was a clear indications that a working system, programme and policy was able to reveal some gray areas desiring more attention, as the effort is already in the public domain.

The provision of more classrooms, computers, water and in some instances electricty as one of the cardinal objectives of the SDGs, will be taken to another level, as soon as government decision is arrived at, to address the scourge from growing to a monster.

SDGs Orelope through strict supervision and policy implementation, has assured Nigerians of turning the table that will return back to school more children by creating the enabling template to douse the current order.

Since education remains the bedrock and foundation to human elevation, simultaneously also serves as a leeway to all forms of disaster ranging from drought, poverty, illiteracy, and disease when negligence and lack of adequate attention is allowed to infiltrate.

But with the public outcry and decision to match words with more action by the handlers of SDGs, no doubt the high hope for the hopeless ‘Out of school Children’ would be translated to a bumper opportunity to reverse the trend, so as to ameliorate the current challenges.

Abubakar Yusuf is Public Affairs analyst, writes from Abuja