The situation in Sokoto State is another reminder of the deepening out-of-school children crisis, which calls for immediate attention.
Development Diaries reports that thousands of children in Sokoto State are on the streets begging, hawking or doing menial jobs to survive, according to a report by Daily Trust.
According to the 2023/24 report by the National Senior Secondary Education Commission (NSSEC), Sokoto State recorded 11,339 school dropouts, predominantly boys, contributing to northern Nigeria’s alarming 80,052 dropouts, which account for over 63 percent of the 127,067 national figure.
Despite the Sokoto State Child Protection Law which was passed in 2021, guaranteeing every child the right to free, compulsory, and universal basic education, thousands remain on the streets hawking, begging, or doing menial work during school hours.
Furthermore, the prevalence of the Almajiri system compounds the challenge, with an estimated 113,208 Almajiri children in the state, most living outside family care, with little to no access to formal education.
According to Daily Trust’s findings, many, like 17-year-old Abubakar Gidandare, must hawk to eat, sometimes under coercive arrangements where food is withheld if they fail to work.
This economic exploitation violates Section 23 of the Child Protection Law, which expressly prohibits child labour that interferes with education.
The persistent economic hardship in the state, where approximately 900,000 people, according to United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) data, are already acutely food insecure, a number projected to rise to 1.2 million during the lean season, makes education a lower priority for families struggling to survive.
This situation demands urgent intervention from Sokoto State Governor Ahmad Aliyu and the State Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Ahmed Ala.
As Nigeria works towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) four, which aims to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education for all, addressing the plight of out-of-school children remains a critical priority for state governments.
Development Diaries calls on Governor Aliyu and Commissioner Ala to prioritise fully funding basic education and strengthen implementation of the Child Protection Law.
Photo source: Ali kamil Ibrahim
