School Dropout Rate Still High, Says Minister

[Richard Akindele]

Minister of State for Education, Dr Grace Ogwuche, has expressed concern over the high dropout rate from school and the continued death of many Nigerian children before their fifth birthday, due to poor nutrition, lack of care and disease.

By Tom Chiahemen for Independent Newspaper

She spoke at the opening of a national forum on the FGN/UNICEF Integrated Early Childhood Development (IECD) in Abuja. She regretted that barely 20 per cent of Nigerian children aged three to five years are attending some form of organised early childhood programme. She disclosed that less than one-third of eight million children under six years benefit from any form of early childhood education and care.


She observed that early rhythm of learning has not been set in young children, and that academic achievements of children at different levels of the primary education are still reasonably low, judging by the results of the Monitoring Learning Achievements (MLA) studies conducted on Primary Four and Primary Five pupils respectively in 1996 and more recently in 2004.


The minister, who attributed the development to gaps in the existing policies such as the National Policy on Education not making provisions for the age group of 0 – 3 years, called for the collaboration of all sectors to ensure fulfilment of all the rights of the Nigerian children. “Unfortunately, sectoral collaboration is yet to be synergistically coordinated to ensure optimal benefits to all children in Nigeria,� she lamented.


Describing the foundation of a child as very crucial, Ogwuche said when well nurtured and cared for, the child would survive, grow and develop to his/her full potential – physically, intellectually, emotionally and socially.


The national forum, according to her, was aimed at discussing the draft FGN/UNICEF IECD policy which focuses on the care and support necessary for children aged 0 – 5 years, with a view to producing a final document for the use of Nigerian children. The draft IECD policy, according to her, would ensure proper development and break the cycle of disease, poverty and violence within the communities.


“The aim is to create an enabling environment for the Nigerian child to thrive and develop to his/her fullest potential in line with the national goal and aspiration of building a virile and healthy nation, full of bright opportunities for all citizens,� she stated.
http://www.andnetwork.com/app?service=d ... &sp=l28942