Nasarawa Community Tackles 2,000 Out-Of-School Children

No fewer than 2,000 children were reported to be out of school between 2003 and 2004 in the Jenkwe Development Area of Obi Local Government Area in Nasarawa State.

The Nasarawa State Government had earlier raised concerns about the alarming number of 430,787 out-of-school children across the state’s 13 Local Government Areas.

Director of Global Health and Infectious Diseases at Nasarawa State University, Keffi, Professor Akela Ishaq, disclosed the figures during a one-day interactive session with critical Migili stakeholders held in Lafia, the State capital.

Ishaq, a World Bank consultant on recently completed health projects, revealed that primary school enrollment in Jenkwe was as low as 20% in 2003.

However, he noted a significant increase to 80% in 2024, indicating a remarkable shift.

He called for the establishment of an educational endowment fund for the Migili nation to provide scholarships and support for children still out of school.

“We need a scholarship plan to support our out-of-school children in the Migili nation,” he appealed, commending the convener of the event, Simon Dolly, for the laudable initiative. He urged stakeholders to act swiftly to secure the future of their children.

“In the 21st century, we cannot discuss education without data. Data drives governance, planning, and policy-making,” he said.

“I was involved in the household surveys of 2003 and 2024. Both health and education data showed over 2,000 out-of-school children. This raised concerns for me—where do we stand now?

“The statistics on literacy rates and enrollment from the latest World Bank-sponsored household survey showed significant improvement, but we are still far from where we need to be,” he added.

According to him, the last comprehensive survey was in 2008, and a current review shows progress, with over 100 graduates from the Migili nation emerging annually from Nasarawa State University, Keffi alone—excluding polytechnics, nursing schools, and colleges of education.

“Despite this progress, a major issue remains: with a population of over 500,000 in the Jenkwe area, we still have no boarding schools and lack a general hospital to cater to the population’s needs,” he lamented.

He urged the Migili community to unite in launching a strategic educational endowment plan to support children’s education and bridge existing gaps.

Guest speaker Alfred Azige, who delivered a paper on “Political Participation and Awareness in Migili Nation,” expressed concern over politicians’ attitude post-elections.

He lamented that many abandon their communities after assuming office.

“Political participation is about citizens taking an active role in shaping their society’s future,” he said.

“If we don’t participate effectively, we cannot influence the pace of socio-economic development in Migili land.”

He added that insecurity and herders’ attacks had crippled the main occupation of the Migili people—farming—highlighting the need to leverage education, business, and political engagement to rebuild the community.

Convener of the event, Simon Dolly, urged the Migili people to participate actively in politics to attract the dividends of democracy.

He also called for support for the current administration of Governor Abdullahi Sule, encouraging the community to contribute meaningfully to the State’s development.