Nigeria is the country in the world with the highest number of out-of-school children with 11 million pupils recorded in 2020, World Bank says.
As of 2003, the number of out-of-school children in Nigeria was 15 million. Between then and 2020, according to the global financial institution, the number of school children under review who are between 6-15 years rose by 100 per cent.
The World Bank disclosed this in a document titled “Nigeria Development Update (June 2020): The Continuing Urgency of Business Unusual.”
It said that the number of in-school children in 2003 was 20 million and has increased to 40 million in 2020, stating that the population of Nigerian children aged 6-15years in 2003 was 35 million and 51 million in 2020.
According to World Bank, more efforts need to be made to ensure Nigeria’s children are back to school.
It said, “Although Nigeria has experienced a significant expansion in access to education during the last few decades, it still has the highest number of out-of-school (OOS) children in the world.
“Nigeria’s more than 11 million OOS children between the ages of 6 and 15 represent 1 in 12 OOS children globally. The OOS children phenomenon in Nigeria is multi-causal and will require a combination of interventions. On the demand side, reducing the cost of education by eliminating school fees, providing cash transfers, and shifting socio-cultural norms that prevent school enrollment are critical steps.”
Reacting to the report, Statisense disclosed that the number, “represents 1 in 12 of all out-of-school children globally and 22% of all children in this age group in Nigeria.”