Nigeria pencils 70% slash in the next eight years
By Jeph Ajobaju, Chief Copy Editor
Nigeria is upbeat it can reduce by 70 per cent its number of out-of-school children by 2030, meaning 12.95 million out of 18.5 million such children, based on the latest figures of United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF).
Yosola Akinbi, Vice Presidential Adviser on Economic Matters, explained in Abuja that out-of-school children is one of the focus points of the government and it plans to slash it by 70 per cent in the next eight years.
“The out-of-school children in Nigeria is one of the things we are focusing on and the vision that we have in terms of target, is for us to see how we are going to reduce the out-of-school children by at least 70 per cent,” she said.
Akinbi disclosed the government also plans to double both primary and secondary school enrolment.
“We have a vision page. That vision page exactly tells us what we are trying to achieve. In terms of primary school enrolment we want to double it from 46 per cent to 90 per cent by 2030. Specifically focusing on doubling female enrolment.
“We also said we need to double secondary school completion rate, because we found out that it is not just about getting into secondary school, especially the girls, they do not complete secondary school. And so we think that we need to double it from 40 to 80 per cent.
“Of course it is not just about getting these children in school, it is also very important to actually improve the outcomes, that’s why we need to achieve the 80 per cent pass rate for students. That’s why we are working also on the teachers and the teacher’s education as well.”
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Productivity level to reach 55%
Akinbi expressed optimism that Nigeria’s productivity level would reach 55 per cent by 2030 during which time Abuja hopes to see 24 million healthy, educated, and productive citizens to join the labour market, according to Vanguard.
“It’s very ambitious but I think we must come from that high level to see how we would participate, contribute and be part of the process to ensure Nigeria moves forward by 2030. Nigeria’s productivity level should be at least 50, 55 per cent by 2030.
“We want to have 24 million additionally healthy, educated and productive Nigerians serving and not stunted. We want to have educated and productive Nigerians entering the labour market by 2030.”
