The Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, has ordered the State Ministry of Education and other relevant ministries of the state government to ensure the application of laws passed by the State House of Assembly to stem the worrisome rise in the cases of out-of-school children.
Gov. Diri handed down the order during the flag-off of the national campaign on out-of-school children organized by the Federal Ministry of Education.
Diri also expressed dissatisfaction over the data made available on the existence of an estimated 250,000 out-of-school children in the state despite the existence of a law passed by the State Assembly in 2018 to curb the trend.
Gov. Diri, however, vowed that his administration will do its part to ensure that education is accessible to every child of school age in the state and urged parents and community leaders to encourage their wards to enrol in schools.
He also charged parents, traditional rulers and community leaders to join hands with government to ensure a reversal of the situation.
He said the state government has continued to support free primary and secondary education in the state with the purchase of uniforms and other instructional materials.
He implored the relevant ministries to ensure that the law is publicized and implemented to the letter.
He further called on the Bayelsa State House of Assembly to oversight its laws to ensure they are implemented.
Diri commended the Federal Ministry of Education for bringing the campaign to Bayelsa, saying the people of the state and the Niger Delta region will benefit from the initiative.
His words: “A law was passed by the Bayelsa State House of Assembly on this matter in 2018. So, Mr Minister, Bayelsa State had started addressing the issues long before now. But your coming is key as it has opened our eyes to the level of out-of-school children in our state.”
In his remarks, the Minister of State for Education, Goodluck Nanah-Opiah, said education was a collective responsibility and called on all stakeholders to join forces to eradicate the menace of out-of-school children in the interest of the country.
He said the Federal Ministry of Education has put in place mechanisms to ensure that education is accessible to children of school age and appealed to the state government to continue to prioritize education.
The minister lauded the Bayelsa Government for its investment in the education sector, urging it not to relent.
