From Mika’il Tsoho, Dutse
In a significant step towards promoting education and reducing out-of-school children, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the Jigawa State Ministry of Women Affairs have enrolled 150 Almajiris and Out-of-School Adolescent Girls (OOSAGs) into the formal education system in Kafin Hausa Local Government Area of Jigawa State.
This initiative, implemented through the Exceptional Leadership and Integrity Promotion Initiative (ELIP), aims to provide educational opportunities for marginalized children and empower them to reach their full potential.
Speaking during the flag-off ceremony of the program, ELIP-INITIATIVE Executive Director Comrade Isah Mustapha highlighted the project’s scope and objectives. He explained that the program, funded by UNICEF, is being carried out across 27 local government areas in Jigawa State.
“We provide educational skills to OOSAGs and Almajiris of ages 10-14 and Vocational skills to those at ages of 15-19. Today, we are witnessing the enrollment of 150 OOSAGs and Almajiris back into school. Each child has been provided with a set of uniforms, a school bag, sandals, and writing materials. Additionally, another 150 are currently undergoing training and skills acquisition in various trades and enterprises,” Mustapha stated.
In September 2022, the Jigawa State Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development, with support from UNICEF, conducted a verification exercise, identifying 123,996 Almajiris and OOSAGs across the state. Based on this data, 8,000 Almajiris and OOSAGs from four local governments, including Birnin Kudu, Dutse, Yankwashi, and Kafin Hausa, were selected to benefit from social welfare services through case management.
The project has also focused on capacity building, training 200 community-based structures, such as School-Based Management Committees (SBMCs), women’s groups, Community-Based Organizations (CBOs), and surveillance groups, to identify, report, respond, and refer cases of abuse, violence against adolescent children, and girls at risk of early marriage.
Moreover, 100,000 community members, including men, women, girls, and boys, have been reached through community dialogues, and 1,000 children have received case management support using the CPIMS+ v.2.0 tool.
“The project has made significant progress in addressing the issue of out-of-school children in Jigawa State. By providing educational and vocational opportunities, we are empowering these children to break the cycle of poverty and illiteracy and contribute positively to their communities,” Mustapha concluded.
The member representing Kafin Hausa Constituency at the State House of Assembly commended UNICEF and the Jigawa State government for their efforts and urged community members to monitor the beneficiaries to ensure the success of the program.