Only India has more children out of school than Nigeria, according to the UN agency.
President Bola Tinubu on Thursday expressed alarm at the high number of out-of-school children in Nigeria, his spokesperson, Ajuri Ngelale, wrote in a statement.
"We must address this issue by establishing more schools, recruiting teachers, and providing at least one meal a day for the school children, aligning with the progressive ideology we aim to pursue," Mr Tinubu told members of the National Working Committee (NWC) of his party, All Progressives Congress (APC).
Nigeria has about 20 million children of school age who are out of school, UNESCO estimated last year, although the Nigerian government argued that the actual figure may be lower. Only India has more children out of school than Nigeria, according to the UN agency.
The number of out-of-school children in Nigeria is made worse by the insecurity that continues to ravage many communities in northern Nigeria, displacing thousands of people from their homes and leading to the closure of schools.
Mr Tinubu's proposed solution needs the support of state governments to work. Most of Nigeria's public primary and secondary schools are owned by state and local governments who are also responsible for staffing and running such schools.
Other issues discussed
At his meeting with the APC leadership, President Tinubu also said democracy must be progressive and inclusive with a primary focus on pragmatically addressing poverty through the provision of job opportunities for youths and quality education for all Nigerian children.
He told the APC leaders who visited him in Lagos that he supports the establishment of the National Institute of Progressive Studies by the party.
The president noted that the institute is expected to conduct diligent research and educate all party members on the principles of democracy and good governance while providing a distinct identity for the party.
"Democracy has faced challenges in the past, but I believe in a promising future for our country. We will deliver it. I am committed to supporting a strong and ideologically determined democracy that is progressive, inclusive, and focused on eliminating poverty while providing quality education for our children.
"Collaboration with various government arms is crucial, and I commend the leadership of our party for working hard to promote these essential ideals," Mr Ngelale quoted the president as saying.
Read the full statement by Mr Ngelale below
PRESIDENT TINUBU: NIGERIA'S PROGRESSIVE MOVEMENT MUST DELIVER QUALITY EDUCATION FOR ALL NIGERIAN CHILDREN AND JOBS FOR YOUTHS
President Bola Tinubu says democracy must be progressive and inclusive with a primary focus on pragmatically addressing poverty through the provision of job opportunities for youths and quality education for all Nigerian children.
Receiving members of the National Working Committee (NWC) of the All Progressives' Congress (APC), on Thursday, in Lagos, President Tinubu expressed support for the establishment of the National Institute of Progressive Studies by the party.
The President noted that the Institute is expected to conduct diligent research and educate all party members on the principles of democracy and good governance while providing a distinct identity for the party.
"Democracy has faced challenges in the past, but I believe in a promising future for our country. We will deliver it. I am committed to supporting a strong and ideologically determined democracy that is progressive, inclusive, and focused on eliminating poverty while providing quality education for our children.
"Collaboration with various government arms is crucial, and I commend the leadership of our party for working hard to promote these essential ideals," the president stated.
The president called on the leadership of the party to target more youth and women in its e-registration and digital membership validation exercise scheduled to be completed in the first quarter of 2024.
"I stand solidly with you in the advancement of the progressive ideological stance of our party and we will pursue it with vigour," he stated.
President Tinubu thanked members of the party for the overwhelming show of support for him during the campaigns, the electoral victory, and the affirmation of his presidency by the Supreme Court.
"It has been a while since we have had the opportunity to come together, especially since the Supreme Court ruling. I had hoped for a gathering, but the demanding tasks of my office that we fought for have called for increased focus, dedication, and time," the president said.
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Expressing concern about the alarming figure of out-of-school children in the country, President Tinubu declared: "We must address this issue by establishing more schools, recruiting teachers, and providing at least one meal a day for the school children, aligning with the progressive ideology we aim to pursue."
The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Abdullahi Ganduje, informed the president that plans are being put in place by the NWC to ensure the success of the party in the coming bye-elections into national and state legislative houses in February 2024.
"We assure Your Excellency that under our leadership and with your consent, strategies have been put in place to win the support of our people and secure all the seats available for the electoral contest," he said.
Ajuri Ngelale
Special Adviser to the President
(Media & Publicity)
