As Nigeria marks this year?s Children?s Day, prominent voices across academia, civil society, and government have, in conversations with The PUNCH, raised the alarm over the country?s worsening out-of-school children crisis, calling for urgent, coordinated interventions to rescue the nation?s future.

The United Nations Children?s Fund estimates that 18.3 million children in Nigeria are out of school, which experts say poses a ticking time bomb for national development if left unaddressed.

Leading the call, a Professor of Sociology, Lai Olurode, described the crisis as ?a national emergency,? calling for bold and comprehensive policy responses.

?To take a large number of children off the streets demands concerted efforts, synergy, and communication among strategic stakeholders,? Olurode said while speaking with The PUNCH.

He advocated for the reintroduction of free and compulsory education, drawing inspiration from the legacies of Chief Obafemi Awolowo in Western Nigeria and Lateef Jakande?s administration in Lagos State.

Olurode also called for improved teacher welfare, rehabilitated school infrastructure, and social security initiatives to support families whose children may lose income from street trading.

?The falling roof must be fixed and the falling wall mended,? he warned, noting that dilapidated learning environments only push vulnerable children back to the streets.

On his part, the Chairman, Nigeria Union of Teachers, Oyo State, Mr. Raji Oladimeji called for engagement with community leaders and parents to advocate the importance of education and ensure that children attend school.

He stressed that the awareness campaign should particularly be disseminated among marginalised groups.

Oladimeji also called for the development of curricula that are culturally sensitive, relevant to the needs of the students and accessible to all learners.

The NUT chair further urged the government to prioritise funding for education to support infrastructure development, and teacher training, as well as implement policies that ensure free or subsidised tuition and scholarships.

?Also important is ensuring adequate infrastructure, including classrooms, libraries and sanitation facilities are available; addressing transportation challenges by providing affordable transportation options and building schools closer to communities; providing free or subsidised learning materials including school uniforms, writing materials, meals or feeding options.

?In addition, utilising online learning platforms to provide flexible and accessible education to students who may not have access to traditional schooling; equipping both teachers and students with the skills to effectively use technology for learning; ensuring equitable access to technology by providing affordable devices and Internet access to students in underserved communities,? Oladimeji stated.

Echoing similar concerns, former Nigeria Labour Congress Chairman in Oyo State, Mr. Waheed Olojede, described the situation as ?unacceptable? and blamed government inaction for the continued rise in child illiteracy.

?Our education system must emphasise pragmatism and promote functionality in a way that graduates become self-dependent and even employers of labour,? he said.

Olojede pushed for comprehensive educational reform?including functional curricula, modern learning tools, well-equipped facilities, and strong enforcement laws to penalize parents who deny their children access to education.

Executive Director of the Hope For Second Chance Foundation Ibukunoluwa Otesile warned that the country risks failing its next generation if immediate action is not taken.

?Over 18 million Nigerian children remain out of school. Their gifts are silenced, their dreams delayed?not for lack of ability, but because of barriers they did not create,? Otesile said in her Children?s Day message to PUNCH.

She listed poverty, insecurity, family instability, and lack of access to inclusive education as core drivers of the crisis, and called on the government, civil society, religious institutions, and the private sector to join forces in rescuing these children.

?Education transforms lives. Every child we reach is a future we rescue,? she said.

As stakeholders sound the alarm, a common thread binds their message: the future of Nigeria hinges on what the nation chooses to do for its children today. From policy reforms and teacher welfare to enforcement and grassroots innovations, the call is clear?urgent, united action must replace lip service.

?This Children?s Day,? Otesile concluded, ?let us not only celebrate?but commit.?

In a grassroots-focused proposal, Vice Chairman of the Oyo State House of Assembly?s Committee on Basic Education, Hon. Oluwafowokanmi Oluwafemi Adebayo, urged local governments to establish informal roadside learning centres, especially in urban areas where street children often engage in hawking or begging.

?These informal schools should offer free lunch?but only after the children attend at least an hour of basic lessons each day,? the lawmaker proposed. ?Government must take school to them to save and protect our nation?s future.?

He stressed that hunger and poverty are among the biggest barriers keeping children out of classrooms and urged the use of incentives to attract vulnerable children to learning spaces.

Also weighing in, the retired Director from the Oyo State Ministry of Education, Dr. Tunde Odekunle, called for aggressive public sensitisation campaigns and state-backed enforcement to drive up school enrollment.

?There is the need for vigorous sensitization of the populace on the need to send children to school, especially in areas where out-of-school children are predominant,? he said.

Dr. Odekunle advocated for the creation of dedicated state task forces to identify children on the streets and fast-track their integration into the school system. (The PUNCH)

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