By Rabiu Musa
The United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) has emphasized the urgent need for Kano State to take swift action in addressing the issue of out-of-school children.
UNICEF’s Nigeria Representative, Cristian Munduate, also called for a concerted effort to bring the number of out-of-school children in Kano down to zero.
Munduate revealed this during a press conference on Thursday in Kano.
While speaking, the country representative said, “Kano State currently faces the challenge of having 989,234 primary school-aged children who are not attending school.”
According to her, by tackling this issue, Kano can become a game changer and set the pace for other states in the country.
“If Kano State can address this number, we can achieve zero out-of-school children within three years.
“It’s essential not only to identify problems but also demonstrate that solutions are possible in a relatively short time. This necessitates strong political will and I have seen it with those I met during my visit to the state government.
According to her, Kano State allocated the highest budget to education in the 2024 budget.
Munduate also emphasized the importance of birth registration as a top priority for UNICEF in the current year and the following year.
“Birth registration not only grants a child the right to a name but also plays a critical role in tracking vital information, such as vaccination records and proper documentation.” She said.
While acknowledging the Kano government’s progress in accelerating birth registration, she said that more needs to be done to reach all children.
Munduate further disclosed that UNICEF is establishing an oxygen plant in Muhammadu Buhari hospital in Kano to address a crucial issue in the country.
“The shortage of oxygen, is one of the problems affecting health care in the country” she said.
