The United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF) said it has tracked and enrolled 194,883 out-of-school children in five Local Government Areas (LGAs) of Adamawa.
UNICEF Education Consultant in the state, Joel Jutum made this known on Tuesday at the flag-off of distribution of One Per Child Learning Material by the fund for pupils in public primary schools in the state.
Mr Julum said that the children were enrolled during the just concluded mass enrollment of children organised by UNICEF in collaboration with the State Universal Basic Education (ADSUBEB).
He said that the LGAs included Girei, Yola South, Mubi North, Fufore and Guyuk.
Jutum said UNICEF was engaged in three major areas of intervention in the state- provision of equitable access to early learning and basic education to all school age children, provision of capacity development for teachers and other stakeholders to achieve delivery of quality education and strengthening of education system.
Jutum said that under the One Per Child Learning Materials, 202,817 children had been targeted in the five benefiting LGAs.
Some other key achievements of UNICEF in the state listed by Jutum included provision of 326 temporary learning space for displaced schools, provision of 15,209 sets of uniforms for girls, rehabilitation of 369 classrooms in 123 schools and community engagement through the establishment among others.
ADSUBEB Acting Executive Secretary, Hajiya Fadimatu Alfa, who lauded UNICEF, said the fund was currently in 16 LGAs of the state providing support to schools in areas of instructional materials, uniforms, school bags, and capacity building for staff.
Gov. Ahmadu Fintiri said his administration placed great premium on education.
Fintiri was represented by the state’s Commissioner for Education, Mrs Wilbina Jackson.
“Education is compulsory and free in Adamawa and also a right of every child.
“UNICEF is a household name in human capacity development and I am pleased to commend on your impacting posture to the beneficiaries of education in the state,” he said.
