- The Nigerian Federal Government announced that the DOTS initiative has reintegrated four million out-of-school children into classrooms
- Education Minister Prof. Tahir Mamman emphasized the need for further efforts, acknowledging many children remain out of the educational system
The Federal Government has announced that the DOTS initiative has reintegrated four million out-of-school children into classrooms. The Minister for Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman, made the announcement during the 2nd International Conference of Kwara State Universities (KU8+).
DOTS, which stands for Data Repository, Out-of-School Children Education, Teacher Training & Development, and Skill Development & Acquisition, has been a key initiative in tackling the out-of-school children crisis in Nigeria. In June, the Ministry had reported that over two million children had returned to classrooms through this program, and this number has now doubled.
Speaking at the conference, Prof. Mamman highlighted the initiative’s success but acknowledged that more work is needed. He pointed out the recent protests as a reminder that many children are still out of the educational system. “I believe a lot more needs to be done, especially when you look at the streets of Nigeria in the past 10 days. There is still a lot to be done to bring back those children loitering the streets into the proper ecosystem,” Mamman stated. The Acting NUC Executive Secretary, Amb, delivered his remarks. Chris Maiyaki.
Prof. Mamman also emphasized the crucial role of universities in national development, noting that the collaboration between tertiary institutions and industries in Nigeria remains insufficient. He cited the example of countries like Malaysia, Brazil, and Indonesia, where stronger ties between academia and industry have driven significant progress. “The academia and industries must work together to ensure we have a better nation,” he added.
In his address, the Vice-Chancellor of Al-Hikmah University, Prof. Noah Yusuf, echoed this sentiment, calling for greater collaboration between universities and industries to leverage collective strengths for sustainable solutions. The conference’s theme, “Shaping Sustainable Future: Connecting University and Industries Through Joint Initiatives,” underscored the importance of these partnerships in achieving long-term national development goals.
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