- Safiu Kehinde
The Kwara House of Assembly has called for the integration of the out-of-school kids in the state into the formal education system.
The call emanated from a Motion of Urgent Public Importance on “The need to arrest the menace of Out- Of -Shool Children in Kwara”, moved on the floor of the House on Tuesday Abdullahi Danbaba (APC/Kaiama/ Kemanji/Wajibe) and seconded by Maryam Yusuf (APC/Ilorin South).
Leading the debate on the motion, Danbaba maintained that education is the bedrock of national development and individual empowerment, hence it remains the best legacy that could be bequeathed to the future generation.
He, however, expressed concern that the over the increase in uneducated kids with a recent data showing that approximately 200,000 children were currently out of school in the state.
Danbaba further expressed worry that the menace “is a time bomb that may explode at any time”.
Meanwhile, he expressed delight that the various empowerment programmes of lawmakers were channelled toward the provision of educational materials and payment of school fees, among others, to support the vulnerable families.
Presenting the resolution of the house on the motion, the Speaker, Yakubu Danladi-Salihu, urged Gov. Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq to also ensure effective implementation of the existing government’s initiatives on education.
Abdulrazaq also urged the governor to direct the Ministry of Education and Human Capital Development and SUBEB to partner with education stakeholders, NGOs and local communities on ways to achieve the objective.
”This is in a bid to implement initiatives aimed at integrating the out-of-school children into the formal education system.
”We also urge the governor to direct the Ministry of Communication to promote awareness campaigns to highlight the importance of education.
The House further urged the ministry to raise the consciousness among community leaders toward discouraging the menance of out-of-school children in their areas.
Also at the plenary session, the lawmaker representing Lanwa/Ejidongari State Constituency, Medinat Abdulraheem (APC), moved a motion on “the Need
for urgent Government attention on the poor state of roads and collapsed culverts in Moro Local Government Area”.
Abdulraheem urged the government to provide alternative route that would ease the sufferings of the people, pending the rehabilitation of the collapsed culverts.
In a resolution, the House urged the governor to direct the Ministry of Works and Kwara Road Maintenance Agency to look into the issue of all the roads and culverts already affected by the rains in the state.
”This is with a view to having first-hand information on the status of roads and culverts in the affected communities for the attention of the Ministry of works and Transport.
”We also call on the Local Governments to come up with palliative measures for the affected communities and provide alternative routes to reduce the sufferings and hardship faced by motorists and commuters.