The Lagos State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) is seeking children’s enrollment in public schools.
The agency visited included Ikosi-Isheri Local Council Development Area (LCDA), Bariga, Ikorodu, Apapa/Iganmu, Ajeromi Ifelodun, Mushin, Agege, Yaba, Surulere, and Oshodi during its sensitisation tours.
The team also visited some schools in the areas to promote retention and completion rate among pupils.
The Head of Department, Ikosi-Isheri LCDA, Mr. Oladapo Osodipe, commended the board for its efforts while expressing concern that parents prefer to send their children to the market either on errands or fend for the family rather than send them to school.
“We strategically brought the sensitisation to the marketplace to enlighten parents that their children can have access to free education,” he said.
Some Nollywood actors, Ayo Badmus and Ibrahim Chatta, appealed to market men and women to ensure that their children go to school for a better future.
“The Lagos state government has made efforts to ensure free education for children in its public schools. Back in the days when parents go out to work for the survival of their children, but now, the reverse is the case. The children are the ones hawking for the survival of the family. This is child labour. Education is very important. It is only a fool that will say education is a scam,” they stressed.
Speaking to journalists, the Chairman of SUBEB, Wahab Alawiye-King said: “It has become a tradition for us to come out during the first week of resumption. We come out to mobilise, sensitise and enlighten parents why they must enrol their wards in school.”
He said the board was promoting enrollment and retention and completion rate of all pupils in public schools, adding that there is a special mobilisation department saddled with that responsibility.
“That department is the bridge between the community and the schools. As we all know that schools are part of the community, we cannot separate the two, and as such, we must continue to sensitise our people on why they must enrol their wards in school,” he stated.
Asked why the board chose to go to the selected areas, the chairman disclosed that from a survey it conducted, they have a high number of out-of-school children in the state.
Alawiye-King added, “We have been able to go through our data to know which local governments have the highest number of out-of-school children. So some of these local government areas that we are currently concentrating on have the highest number of out-of-school children. If we can surmount the challenges in those areas, we will be able to reduce the number of out of school children.”
