World Bank Addresses Out-Of-School Children Menace In Katsina

World Bank Addresses Out-Of-School Children Menace In Katsina as state records with the highest number of out-of-school children of 1,135,000

Katsina State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), said it has carried out interventions in the state basic education sector worth $21 million from 2019-2022, under the Better Education Service Delivery for All (BESDA) programme.

Alhaji Lawal Buhari Daura, the state Executive Chairman of SUBEB disclosed this at a press briefing as the programme winds up in October 2022, held at the Board’s headquarters in Katsina on Friday.

Daura explained that BESDA is a World Bank intervention programme geared towards supporting states with the highest number of out-of-school children.

According to him, BESDA intervenes in three result areas an increase in equitable access, improving literacy and system strengthening.

He maintained that Katsina state was identified as one of the 17 BESDA focus states after having been assessed with the highest number of out-of-school children of 1,135,000 which comprises Almajiris, Nomads, Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) and vulnerable children.

“The programme implementation started in 2019 with the selection of 22 LGAs for the reduction of out-of-school children and 13 LGAs for intensive literacy Programme using RANA and Jolly Phonics model”, he added.

The Executive Chairman of the Board stressed that BESDA within the period under review has made achievements and record successes as 255 Qur’anic centres have been integrated by the programme.

Similarly, he said the programme has succeeded in the reduction of 361,525 out-of-school children representing 36 per cent of the set target in the selected LGAs in the state.

He however expressed appreciation to the Federal Government through UBEC for providing the grants to develop the basic education sector and appealed to the World Bank through the FG to consider extending the programme beyond October this year.

Daura also commended Governor Aminu Bello Masari for supporting the board to develop the basic education sector, stressing that, the programme has imparted significantly on the lives of the citizenry.