According to authorities, the new school year began in Nigeria this month, although more than 600 schools remain shuttered due to an increase in kidnappings and attacks by armed gangs.
A group of youngsters in the little village of Sabo, south of Kaduna state, are bonded by a common enemy: violent violence. The majority of the youngsters arrived with their parents at this temporary shelter in November, after their villages were overtaken by armed gangs.
Abayo Iliya, a resident, said it was the last time his 6-year-old kid attended school.
According to Iliya, his hamlet was assaulted and their homes, fields, and school were destroyed. The school where Iliya’s son attended has subsequently closed.
Alheri, Iliya’s wife, stated that they would love to enroll their son in a better school but cannot afford it. They lost everything, she explained, and don’t have enough money to attend another school.
This month, the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization, or UNESCO, estimated that more than 20 million Nigerian children are out of school, an increase of about 2 million from a similar poll released by UNICEF in May.
Authorities in Nigeria, however, contest the data, claiming that things have changed for the better and that government investment on education has increased significantly.
Authorities further claim that the number of pupils enrolled in alternative schools in northern Nigeria was not included in UNESCO’s figures.
However, Abdulsalami Ladigbolu, the director of UNESCO’s Read and Earn Federation in Nigeria, claimed that before issuing the study, various contributing variables were taken into account.
“A difficult scenario exists. Insurgency might actually be an aspect of it. Second, the loss of their guardian or parent who is responsible for paying tuition. We can also take into account early marriage “Ladigbolu stated, noting that girls specifically face this difficulty.
Numerous worshipers were abducted in Kajuru last week, and their captors are demanding a ransom of more than $450,000.
Nigerian authorities have stepped up their efforts to combat armed groups, and they claim to have had some success, as evidenced by a recent airstrike that claimed the lives of 200 suspected bandits in the north.However, the threat will persist unless insecurity is addressed, making it difficult for parents like Iliya to provide for their children’s education.