Taraba Education Chief Joins BEN-B Bootcamp in Lagos to Tackle Out-of-School Children

Permanent Secretary of Taraba Ministry of Education Attends Key Education Summit “BEN-B Bootcamp” in Lagos

The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Education, Taraba State, Alhaji Idris A. Goje, participated in the two-day Basic Education in Nigeria Bootcamp (BEN-B) held at the Intercontinental Hotel in Victoria Island, Lagos.

The event, which kicked off on November 25, 2024, focused on addressing critical challenges facing the education sector in Nigeria, especially the issue of out-of-school children.

The summit, themed “Improving Access to Inclusive Quality Education for All Children in Nigeria: Addressing the Challenges of Out-of-School Children,” saw the participation of numerous key stakeholders in the education sector.

Notable attendees included the Governor of Lagos State, His Excellency Babajide Sanwo-Olu, honourable ministers, development partners, and education commissioners from all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

Also present were Permanent Secretaries, SUBEC (State Universal Basic Education Board) Chairmen, and other critical figures in Nigeria’s education landscape.

In his keynote address, Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu expressed his gratitude to the organising ministers and development partners for putting together such a pivotal summit.

He lauded the event’s focus on addressing major thematic issues within Nigeria’s education sector and urged all participants to implement the strategies and knowledge gained during the summit in their respective states.

“This summit presents an invaluable opportunity to discuss and tackle the challenges of education in Nigeria, particularly the issue of out-of-school children,” said Governor Sanwo-Olu.

“I encourage all of you to apply the knowledge gained here to improve the educational landscape in your states.”

The BEN-B Bootcamp centred on four major thematic areas in line with the Federal Ministry of Education’s DOTS (Data, Out-of-School Children, Teacher Training and Development, Skills Development) policy.

These areas are designed to complement the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which aims to improve the quality of education across Nigeria.

The four thematic areas discussed include:

• Data Repository: strengthening the collection and use of data to improve education planning and management.
• Out-of-School Children Education: Addressing the persistent issue of children who are not enrolled in schools.
• Teacher Training and Development: Enhancing the skills and qualifications of teachers to improve teaching standards.
• Skills Development and Acquisition: Promoting practical skills development to better prepare students for the workforce.

The summit is set to conclude on November 27, 2024, with hopes of formulating actionable strategies that will be implemented nationwide to address educational gaps and improve access to quality education for every child in Nigeria.

As the summit continues, it is clear that the collaboration of state and federal education leaders is essential to tackling the ongoing challenges in the education sector, especially the issue of out-of-school children.

This event marks an important step toward achieving a more inclusive and accessible education system for all Nigerian children.