Out-of-school children: NGO organises community dialogue on digital literacy in Zamfara

Out-of-school children: NGO organises community dialogue on digital literacy in Zamfara

A Non Governmental Organization,  “Community Aid Connect (CAC)” has  organized a one-day community dialogue on digital literacy program (Radio School) in Zamfara.

The dialogue had participants from the traditional rulers and community leaders, CBOs, media youths and women groups.

The National Director of the Program, Hajiya Maryam Faruk said the mission of the program to provide inclusive education through innovative programs across North West Nigeria.

Faruk represented by the State Mentor of the program, Malam Yusuf Yahaya said the diologue was aimed to review achievements and challenges of the program in the state.

“The program is covering seven Local Government Areas of the state including Bungudu, Bukkuyum, Gusau, Gummi, Talata Mafara, Kaura Namoda and Maradun.

“You know, Zamfara is among the 22 states in Nigeria with alarming rate of out-of-school children.

“According to the data from relevant authorities, Zamfara has 61 percent of out-of-school children”, She said.

“This program was designed to educate out -of-school children through radio school.

“Our major target is to make sure that those who cannot attend school to be given opportunities to participate in education”, Faruk explained.

In a remarks, the Director Literacy, State Agency for Mass Education, Ibrahim Isah described the diologue as a welcome development.

Isah noted that the missions of the program is inline with the state government’s policies to reduce out of school children in the state.

“We have recorded successes through this program in the increased of out-of-school children in to the digital literacy classes”, she added.

He noted that stakeholders’ engagement is one of the key success of the program in Zamfara.

“We noticed active participation of relevant stakeholders to this program especially at community level.

“We appreciate the commitment of facilitators, traditional rulers and community leaders towards addressing out-of-school children in the state.

Also speaking, the Senior district head of Kaura Namoda, Alhaji Sama’ila Hamza assured support from the traditional institution in the state.

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Hamza said:,”we noticed a lot successes through this program by improving literacy level among out-of-school children in our respective communities.

“We appreciate the contribution of CAC as well as the state agency for mass education for their commitment towards tackling out-of-school children in the state”, Hamza added.

The Chairman Zamfara Social Protection Platform (ZSPP) a CSO, Malam Nasiru Biyabiki attributed the increase of out-of-school children in the state to poverty and insecurity factor.

Biyabiki said that the lingering security challenges resulted forced migration and displacement of various communities in the state.

“The insecurity also resulted significant increase of poverty among people of the state especially at grassroots”, he noted.