Hope revived for 42,000 out-of-school children in Borno

BY FAIZA JIBRIN

In a move to address the pressing issue of out-of-school children in Borno State, Street Child of Nigeria, an international non governmental organization, (NGO), has pledged to support the state government's efforts to provide education to these children.

The organisation's country director, Jummai Lawan Musa, and co-chair, Dr. Anthony Kurt Wallersteine, led a team to visit the Borno State Ministry of Information and Internal Security on Tuesday.

During the visit, Dr. Wallersteine informed the commissioner of information and internal security, Prof. Usman Tar, that Street Child of Nigeria currently supports 42,000 beneficiaries out of over 500,000 out-of-school children in the state.

He emphasized the importance of education in curbing radicalism and promoting community resilience.

The delegation also highlighted the organization's focus on education, livelihood and protection across 22 countries with active interventions in 13 Local Government Areas of Borno State.

While responding, Prof. Tar acknowledged the challenges posed by the large number of street children in Borno State, which he attributed to the state's hospitable nature.

He assured that the state government has taken measures to address the issue, including the return of internally displaced persons (IDPs) to their ancestral homes and the reopening of schools in those communities.

As the state government and organizations like Street Child of Nigeria work together to address the issue of out-of-school children, there is hope for a brighter future for these children.

With education, they can break the cycle of poverty and contribute to sustainable development in their communities.