UNICEF, Osun govt partner to tackle out-of-school crisis
By: Abudu Olalekan
In Ede, the heat wasn’t just from the midday sun beating down on the roof. It was the weight of the conversation happening inside the hall. Behind closed doors, packed with journalists from around the region, the talk wasn’t about sports or typical politics. It was about survival. Specifically, the survival of millions of children left behind in the dust. UNICEF and the Osun State Government shook hands again, promising to fight the out-of-school crisis using digital tools. It sounds modern. Maybe too modern for some skeptics. But the numbers don’t lie. They never do.
Celine Lafoucriere, leading the UNICEF Lagos Field Office, didn’t sugarcoat the mess during her speech. She called the situation alarming. And honestly, she’s right. Millions sit outside classrooms right now. Even those inside often can’t read or count properly enough to function. Just one in four Nigerian kids can handle basic math by age 14. Ten million are completely out. These aren’t just stats on a spreadsheet somewhere. They are real lives. Children growing up unable to support families or join the economy properly. It’s a ticking bomb waiting to explode.
Technology might be the fuse to stop it, though. Lafoucriere stressed that AI and digital tech move fast. Kids need future-ready skills now. If they don’t get digital literacy, they will be left behind permanently. Girls face the worst risk here. She challenged the media too. Keep telling the stories. When journalists keep pushing, politicians listen. A story that won’t vanish gets acted upon. Simple as that.
Murtala Jimoh, Permanent Secretary for Education in Osun, spoke about commitment extensively. Governor Ademola Adeleke’s administration wants to use tech to fix gaps. He lamented socio-economic hurdles constantly. Security issues. Cultural blocks. These keep kids away from school locally and globally. Digital tools can personalize learning effectively. They help teachers too. Osun is already seeing benefits from UNICEF initiatives. Platforms like Nigeria Learning Passport offer flexibility for disadvantaged children. It’s a start.
Blessing Ejiofor from UNICEF Nigeria said the dialogue was about deepening understanding. Data-backed insights matter. Harold Kpojime, an Education Specialist, pointed at poverty. Insecurity. Infrastructure gaps. These are the drivers. He commended Osun for stepping up. He urged other South-Western states to copy the model. Innovation is key to eliminating the menace.
Reportersroom gathered that the workshop brought together voices from print, broadcast, and online media. Across the six South-West states plus Edo. They aren’t just observers. They are advocates. The partnership involves heavy hitters too. The World Bank, Global Partnership for Education, and UBEC all support this. It’s a collective effort. Because one entity can’t fix this alone. It requires everyone.
The road ahead is rough. Digital learning isn’t a magic wand. It needs power. It needs devices. It needs training. But ignoring it isn’t an option. The crisis is here. The tools exist. Now it’s about will. Can policy shifts happen fast enough? Can media pressure sustain the momentum? Lafoucriere thinks so. She believes persistent storytelling changes things. Jimoh believes in the tech. The children believe in nothing yet. They just want to learn.
We need to watch closely. Will the digital promise become reality? Or will it fade like previous initiatives? The stakeholders say they are ready. The question is, are we? The out-of-school crisis demands more than meetings. It demands action. Digital or not, the goal is clear. Get every child into learning. No excuses. This partnership is a step. But only a step. We must stay vigilant,
