Quality education, integral to socioeconomic development of children – UNICEF

The United Nations Children’s Fund, UNICEF, has expressed concern over the inability of children in Bauchi State to access education which they described as a fundamental human right.

The international organisation decried the challenges that have continued to rob the children of their dreams and aspirations, noting that a significant number of children in Bauchi State are unable to access education.

The Chief of the UNICEF Field Office in Bauchi, Dr. Tushar Rane who raised the concerns on Wednesday in a media dialogue on the challenge of out-of-school children, said, “Quality education, especially at the basic level, is integral to socio-economic development” adding that “no nation can rise above the quality of its educational.”

He said education is a fundamental right that empowers children to reach their full potential, worrying that despite its importance, over 10 million school-aged children in Nigeria remain out of school.

Describing the situation as a major challenge for all, he charged journalists from Bauchi, Taraba and Gombe to help amplify the voices of out-of-school children, describing the media as drivers of social change.

He said the media dialogue is geared towards constructive discussions on the root causes of the issue of out-of-school-children, the challenges hindering school-aged children’s access to education and most importantly, the potential solutions that we can collectively work towards changing the narrative in Bauchi State.”