Source document: https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/1697812599134.pdf (Nigeria)
FOURTH REPUBLIC 9TH NATIONAL ASSEMBLY FIRST SESSION No.

78 2175 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA VOTES AND PROCEEDINGS Thursday, 12 March, 2020 1.

2.

3.

4.

The House met at 11.24 a.m. Mr Speaker read the Prayers.

The House recited the National Pledge Votes and Proceedings .

Mr Speaker announced that he had examined and approved the Votes and Proceedings of Wednesday, 11 March, 2020.

The Votes and Proceedings was adopted by unanimous consent.
Announcement Visitors in the Gallery: Mr Speaker recognised the presence of the following: (i) Staff and Students of Excellent Grade International Schools, Kubwa, Abuja; (ii) Staff and Students of Fountain International School, Keffi, Nasarawa State; (iii) Staff and Students of Wilson Matt Academy, Nyanya, Abuja; (iv) (v) (vi) Zakat, Chairman Constituency, Sokoto State, and other Personalities from BodingalTuretalDIShuni Federal t A team of four Staff of the Parliament of Ghana; and Staff and Students of Master's Vessel Seminary School, Osumenyi, Nnewi South, Anambra State.
S. The Plight of Out-of-School Children in Nigeria Mr Speaker made the following Remarks: Protocols: Goed morning honourable colleagues, I welcome you all to this special plenary session of the House of Representatives, and I thank you for being here this morning'.

PRINTED BY NATIONAL ASSEMBL Y PRESS, ABUJA <1l 2176 Thursday, 12 March, 2020 No.

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78 2.

We have come here today to consider the matter of the millions of children in our country who right to receive the training and are out of school, and who as a result are denied their fundamental skills acquisition opportunities that will allow them to have better lives than their parents before them, and provide a better future for their offspring.
We are here to consider the failures of policy development and implementanon, 3. the vagaries of culture and religion that have contributed to the plight of these young people.

We are here to advance solutions to this problem.

4.

We are here to act in the best interests of our people by ensuring that the solutions presented here today are formulated into actionable policy plans to be implemented diligentl», with haste.
This is a commitment that we made in our Legislative Agenda, and we will live up to this and all other commitments which we have freely made before God and the Nigerian people who have chosen us to represent them here in this hallowed chamber.

Over the last twenty years, 5. the government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria has conunitted to a programme of educational reform that has resulted in the allocation of significant sums of ntonev to fund basic education access in our country.
These reforms have been intended mostlv to address the availability gap by building new schools and providing teachers in previousiv underserved areas.

These investments have not yielded the desired outcomes.

In too many parts of the country, 6. the school attendance rates have not improved, and the quality of education being received by those who enrol and attend still falls far short of our most fundamental the time for a massive course correction has come.

expectations.
We must consider that perhaps That process of course correction must begin first with a critical assessment of everything 1:ve 7. have done so far, so that we can objectively determine for ourselves what works and what doesn 't, what can be learnedfrom reform efforts and what is necessary to ensure that no Nigerian child, born in this age will ever be denied the benefits of an empowering education, Let no one be left in any doubt, we will not eradicate poverty from our land or meet 8. challenges of insecurity, we cannot defeat significant numbers people access to a modern education that empowers knowledge economy.
the ignorance and strife or attract foreign investtuetu ill to make a substantial economic difference until we have ensured for all our them to participate fully in the 21st-centIJr1' We have spent the past two decades building schools.

9, It has not been enough.

Now is the time to lift our ambitions to the consideration of bigger things and begin to build capacity for the future survival of our nation.
The complex interconnectivit» of modern life means that we cannot be satisfied with merelv shoving more children into failing and failed school systems just so we call maintain the appearance of education access.

We must aim for better.

10. of the human mind and human ability, better, All enlightened education gives hope and the confidence that through the studied application individuals can remake their existence and make their world Education I I , and a broad embrace of technology in our schools.
At the earliest possible stage of their education, we must begin to equip our young people with the skills thev need to thrive in this technocentrir new world.

calls for ongoing curriculum reform, excellence It is not enough to build schools suitablv 12, remunerated and passionately motivated teachers.

We have a crisis of not enough teachers across the country today, a crisis so severe, that many of the schools we have built are at risk of becoming emptv monuments.
This crisis requires of us that we embrace unorthodox thinking and options we never considered before.

if we cannot also provide properly trained.

No.
78 Thursday, 12 March, 2020 2177 It is in that spirit, that I will seek legislation to amend the National Youth Service Acr 13. to allow the corps to establish a "Teaching for Nigeria" pathwav which will allow for the identification, recruitment and deployment of willing, capable and promising young Nigerians to serve as teachers ill underserved areas during their service year and for a number of years after, ill exchange for a Federal Government education ill addition to whatever commitment allowances they might receive during their deployment.
to fund their post-graduate Education excellence also calls for administrative 14. and a fair admissions process across the board, We cannot continue to relegate huge swathes of our national population to second class citizenship through the operation of an affirmative action system that is rooted in outdated ideas about our nationhood.
accountability 15. ourselves practices Lifting our ambitions to the consideration of bigger things requires of us that we commit the cultural and religious beliefs and to confront TO a determined and sustained effort that influence decisions about education.

A child's gender should never determine whether they get an educationor not.

This should 16. no longer be a controversial position to take.

Our constitution quarantees all our children a right to basic education.
We must now act to live up to that obligation.

All our nation's children are God's children and we owe to each of them the same responsibilities the location or circumstances of their birth.
regardless of their gender, If we do nothing else today, 17. let us all take advantage of this special session to tell ourselves the reality, so that we may liberate ourselves from the shackles of limited thought and through our collective efforts, achieve the vision of a nation where no child is left behind, where IlO child is forgotten and all God's children have the opportunity to fulfil the highest achievements of which thev are inherently capable.

That is the challenge.

We intend to meet it.


Shortly, we will view a documentary on our nation's millions of out of school children.

This 18. is intended to serve as a visual and shocking reminder of why we are gathered here today.

to bring a motion under Afterwards, I will invite Hon.

Wunmi Ogunlola, who will act on my behalf the purview of Order Eight, Rule 4, matters of urgent public importance the House may so that commence debate on the subject matter, and take other actions as it may deem fit.
colleagues, Honourable this is the time for is not an occasion for 19. finger-pointing.

This is not an arena for trafficking in destructive stereotypes or invitation to pander to the base instincts that have too often in the past stood in the way of development and progress in love of country and respect for one our national life.

Truth-telling is an act of love and respect; ideals.

another.
another.

Let all the submissions we make today be grounded in these eternal truth-telling but it I thank you all most graciously for your presence here today.

God bless you all.

And God 20. bless our Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Mr Speaker importance on the subject.

invited Han.

Omowumi Olubunmi Ogunlola to move a Motion of urgent public Need to Proffer Lasting Solutions on the Millions oj Out-oj-School Children in Nigeria: Han.
Omowumi Olubunmi Ogunlola (Ijero/Ekiti West/Efon Federal Constituency) matter and prayed the House to: • introduced the (a) (b) consider and approve the matter as one of urgent public importance; and suspend Order Eight, Rule 4 (3) to allow debate on the matter forthwith.

Question that the matter be considered as one of urgent public importance - Agreed to.

2178 Thursday, 12 March, 2020 No.


78 Question that the House do suspend Order Eight, Rule 4 (3) to enable it debate the matter forthwith - Agreed to.'
Need to Proffer Lasting Solutions on the Millions of Out-of-School Children in Nigeria: Tne House: Nares that education and the world in general conditions and economic is a source of knowledge which changes the immediate env ironment can be used to uplift or elevate ill particu 1;\ r the social into something of the society; better as education the importance of her people Also notes that a large number is the surest means of raising millions of people out of poverty knowledge lives of personal of education lacking in the 21st-century quality education achievement can be likened to oxygen to the extent is akin to a nation without that a nation with life as education and offering economy; them a chance to live full the figure of out-of-school children in Nigeria as provided Further notes that Education Commission (UNICEFj is evidence we are at risk of a lost generation (UBEC) of a national and the United Nations International crisis of a severe proportion of young people; by the Universal Basic Fund Emergency action is taken.
Children's that unless urgent , Disturbed that after years country has not achieved that: the numbers will get worse in the coming years; of expensive interventions by the Federal Government of Nigeria.
any sustained reduction in these dire statistics, and the possibility the still exists Also disturbed that across the streets victims as beggars and perpetrators of crime; the country, many children who are supposed in menial are employed and petty hawkers; others to be in school are roaming roles whilst others become of these Certain that millions without being equipped with the basic communication education for themselves leading to more security in a difficult marketplace or to find and keep meaningful for the country; opportunities challenges children will age out of the criteria for consideration and arithmetic employment skills they need to pursue and will be forgotten.
as children.

further left to fend with the obvious resultant effects being youth restiveness the numbers Aware that as others who due to economic, take advantage of the educational of out-of-school cultural opportunities currently available; children and social include factors, those under including the Almajiri refugee status.

system.
system.

as well to are unable if the high number Conscious therefore that a failure of policy or a failure of implementation doing the same thing and expect begin first with a critical why it hasn't worked and unbiased anything and how to do better going forward; of out-of-school children in Nigeria or both as assumed a correction above.

is needed.
different: the country is a result of either cannot keep and this process must assessment of what has been done so far, so as to understand Cognizant that by failing generation of victims the worst possibilities without immediate and victimizers, already determined to ensure that these potential children criminals being with us, and promise and urgent action; are in school, Nigeria, and insurgents with the manifestations even more to become in effect raising a of severe with time Resolves to: a special public hearing to receive and consider convene of stakeholders unique to enroll cultural, and citizens.
religious, cnildren in school on the matter of out-of-school social and economic the country; across factors that cause the views, children submissions in Nigeria school dropout and concerns to identify the and failure (i) !, No.

78 Thursday, 12 March, 2020 2179 (ii) (iii) commence the process of amending the National Youth Service Corps Act to establish a programme to identify.
recruit and train, willing, capable and promising young Nigerians to serve as teachers in under served areas; mandate the Committee on Basic Education to carry out a holistic investigation into the matter of Nigeria's out-of-school children to ascertain amongst other things: (a) (b) (c) the current in each state of the Federation, figure of out-of-school children in Nigeria, including specific numbers an assessment of total Federal Government expenditure on basic education over the last ten years to identify how and what these funds have been spent on, and the status of all ongoing capital projects Commission (UBEC) across the country; by the Universal Basic Education (iv) also mandate the Committee on Basic Education to report back within 4 (four) weeks (Hon.
Omowumi Olubun~ni Ogunlola - Ijero/Ekiti West/Ejon Federal Constituency).

Debate.

Amendments (i) Proposed: Leave out Prayer (iii) (a) and insert as follows: "collaborate with the State Governments and Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to determine the current (Holl.

Babangida Ibrahim - Malunifashi/Kafur figures of out-of-school children in Nigeria" Federal Constituency).

Question that the amendment be made - Agreed to.


(ii) (iii) (c) and insert as follows: Leave out Prayer "determine the level of intervention by the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) (Han.

Babangida Ibrahim - in the last five (5) years and the state of current Malumfashi/Kafur Federal Constituency).

interventions" Question that the amendment be made - Agreed to.
(iii) Insert a new Prayer (iii) (d) as follows: "review and streamline relevant mandate of UBEC as Malumfashi/Kafur Federal Constituency).

relates it legislations on basic education in Nigeria especially the Ibrahim - (Hon.

Babangida line charge" to first Question that the amendment be made - Agreed to.

(iv) I~ Prayer (iv), immediately after the word "within", the word Constituency) .

(Hon.
(Hon.

Abdullahi "eight (8)" leave out the words four (4) and insert Ningi£Warji Federal - Sa 'ad Abdulkadir Question that the amendment be made - Agreed to.

(v) In Prayer (iii) and (iv), immediately after the words "Basic Education", (Han.

Tajudeen Abbas Labour, Employment Constituency) .

and Productivity" insertthe words "and Zaria Federal - Question that the amendment be made - Agreed to.

2180 (vi) Thursday, 12 March, 2020 No.


78 (v) as follows: Insert a new Prayer "Urge the Federal Ministry of Education to liaise with relevant agencies to re-appraise all previous interventions meant to address the problems of out-of-school children and over-haul all Federal Constituency) .

Aliero/Gwandu/Jega iHon.

Muhammad the programmes" Villar Jega - Question that the amendment be made - Agreed to.
(vii) (vi) as follows: Insert a new Prayer "Urge the Federal Government to develop a social recreation programme specifically on the issue of Almajiri and its negative impacts on children in the society especially in Northern Nigeria" (Hon.

Aishatu Jibril Dukku - Dukku/Nafada Federal Constituency).

Question that the amendment be made - Agreed to.

(viii) (vii) a,s follows: Insert a new Prayer "Urge the Federal Government campaign to discourage parents (Hon.
Aishatu Jibril Dukku - Dukku/Nafada Federal Constituency).

to embark on aggressive and its development from sending their wards to distant places as Almaiiris" partners Question that the amendment be made - Agreed to.

(ix) (x) Insert a new Prayer (viii) as follows: "Also urge the Federal Government education consistent with Western education" Federal Constituency).

to provide an all encompassing alternative system of (Hon.
Aishatu Jibril Dukku - Dukku/Nafada Question that the amendment be made - Agreed to.

(ix) as follows: Insert a new Prayer "Urge the Federal Government Act, to provide stringent punishment (Hon.

Aishatu Jibril Dukku - Dukku/Nafada to amend the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) for parents who refuse to send their children to school" Federal Constituency).

Question that the amendment be made - Agreed to.


(xi) Insert a new Prayer "Urge the Federal Ministry of Education to review the school curriculum to reflect the needs of the society" (Hon.

Egberongbe Mufutau Adewale - Apapa Federal Constituency).

(x) as follows: Question that the amendment be made - Agreed to.
(xii) Insert a new Prayer (xi) as follows: "Call on the Federal Ministry of Education to propose anamendment Education Act, to address the problems in its implementation" Oluyole Federal Constituency).

to the Universal Basic (Hon.

Tolu Akande Sadipe- Question that the amendment be made - Agreed to.

(xiii) Insert a new Prayer (xii) as follows: "Mandate the Committee on Basic Education to conduct and infrastructure" education basic Constituency) .

(Hon.
(Hon.

Tolu Akande investigation on funds expended on - Oluyole Federal Sadipe Question that the amendment be made - Agreed to, No.

78 (xiv) Thursday, 12 March, 2020 2181 Insert a new Prayer (xiii) as follows: "Urge the Federal Ministry of Education to set up an agency to monitor children employed as domestic workers with a view to sanctioning their employers, to 'serve as a deterrent" (Han.

Tolu Akande Sadipe - Oluyole Federal Constituency).

Question that the amendment be made - Agreed to.


(xv) (xiv) as follows: Insert a new Prayer "Urge the Federal Government Indonesian and Malaysian where Technical, vocational and entrepreneurship numeracy and English/Arabic Sliehu B. Kakale - Bodinga/Dange-Shuni/Tureta to adopt Pond ok Quranic education system, as practised in skills, with (Hon.

literacy are integrated into the Almajiri education" Federal Constituency).

Question that the amendment be made - Agreed to.


(xvi) religious (xv) as follows: leaders, Insert a new Prayer of Education, UBEC, traditional "invite; Health/Youth, Agriculture, women of the Prohibition for Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), Bank of Industry (BOI), Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), National Emergence Management Agency (NEMA), Water Resources, Humanitarians (Han.
Shehu B. Kakale - Affairs and Social Investment Bodinga/Dange-Shuni/Tureta to participate in a public hearing" Federal Constituency).

the Ministry affairs, National Agency leaders, Question that the amendment be made - Agreed to.

(xvii) (xvi) as follows: Insert a new Prayer "Mandate the Committee on Basic Education to create a Sub-Committee children with specific terms of reference" Shuni/Tureta Federal Constituency).

on out-of-school (Han.


Shehu B. Kakale - Bodinga/Dange- Question that the amendment be made - Agreed to.

(viii) Insert a new Prayer (xvii) as follows: "Mandate each Member meeting on the importance of education" to use the last weekend of March 2020 to organize a town hall (Han.

Alhassan Ado Garba - House Leader).

Question that the amendment be made - Agreed to.

(ix) (xviii) as follows: Insert a new Prayer "Urge the Federal Government Corps (NYSC) Act, (Han.

Alhassan Ado Garba - House Leader).


to the National Youth Service to encourage teaching by Youth Corpers during their service year" to propose an amendment Question that the amendment be made - Agreed to.

Question on the Motion as amended :- Agreed to.


The House: Noted that education is a source of knowledge which changes the immediate environment and the world in general and economic conditions of the society; in particular into something better as education can be used to uplift or elevate the social 2182 Thursday, 12 March, 2020 No.
78 that a nation with life as education the importance of her people Also noted that a large number is the surest means of raising millions of people out of poverty knowledge lives of personal of education lacking quality education in the 21 st-century achievement can be likened to oxygen to the extent is akin to a nation without and offering economy: them a chance to Iive full Further noted that Education Commission is evidence (UNICEF) the figure of out-of-school children in Nigeria as provided (U BEC) and the United Nations of a national crisis of a severe proportion International Children's that unless urgent by the Universal Basic Fund Emergency action is taken.
we are at risk of a lost generation of young people: Disturbed that after years of expensive country has not achieved any sustained interventions by the Federal Government of Nigeria.

reduction in these dire statistics.

and the possibility the still exists that the numbers will get worse in the coming years; Also disturbed that across the streets as beggars the country.
many children who are supposed in menial are employed and petty hawkers; others to be in school are roaming roles whilst others become victims and perpetrators of crime: of these Certain that millions without being equipped with the basic communication education for in a difficult marketplace or to find and keep meaningful opportunities themselves children will age out of with the obvious leading to more security challenges for the country: the numbers Aware that as others who due to economic.
take advantage of the educational of out-of-school cultural children and social include factors, opportunities currently available: the criteria for consideration and arithmetic employment skills they need to pursue and will be forgotten.

as children.

further left to fend resultant effects heing youth restiveness those under including the Almaiiri refugee status.

system.
system.

as well to are unahle if the high number Conscious therefore that a failure of policy or a failure of implementation doing the same thing and expect begin first with a critical and unbiased anything of out-of-school children in Nigeria or both as assumed different: a correction above.

is needed.

the country is a result of either cannot keep and this process must assessment of what has been done so far.
so as to understand why it hasn't worked and how to do better going forward: Cognizant that by failing generation of victims the worst possibilities and victimizers, already to ensure that these potential children criminals being with us, and promise are in school.

Nigeria.

and insurgents with the manifestations even more to become in effect raising a of severe with time without immediate determined and urgent action: Resolved to: (i) (ii) ~iii) a special public hearing to receive and consider the views.
convene of stakeholders unique cultural, and citizens, religious, on the matter of out-of-school children social and economic factors that cause school dropout submissions in Nigeria and concerns to identify the and failure to enroll children in school across the country; commence programme the process to identify, of amending recruit the National Youth Service Corps Act and train.
willing, capable and promising to establish young Nigerians serve as teachers in under served areas; mandate carry the Committees on Basic Education, out a holistic investigation into the matter and Labour.

Employment of Nigeria's and Productivity children out-of-school a to to to ascertain amongst other things: (a} the current Governments figures of out-of-school children in Nigeria in collaboration with the State and FCT, .

No.
No.

78 Thursday, 12 March, 2020 2183 (b) (c) (d) the total Federal Government and identify how and what expenditure on basic education these funds have been spent on.

over the last ten years the level of intervention the last five (5) years by the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) in and the state of current interventions.
and the mandate relevant of UBEC as it relates to first line chargeand also review and streamline legislations on basic education in Nigeria especially: also mandate the Committees to report back within eight on Basic Education.
and Labour Employment and Productivity (8) weeks: • urge the Federal Ministry previous all the programmes; interventions meant of Education to address urge the Federal Government issue of Almajiri and its negative Nigeria; to develop impacts to liaise with relevant agencies to re-appraise all the problems of out-of-school children and over-haul a social on children recreation programme in the society especially specifically in Northern , on the also urge campaign the Federal Government to discourage parents and its development partners to embark on aggressive from sending their wards to distant places as Alma/iris: further education urge the Federal Government consistent with Western education: to provide an all encompassing alternative system of again urge the Federal Government (UBEC) Act, to school: to provide stringent to amend punishment the Universal Basic Education Commission to send their children for parents who refuse also urge the Federal Ministry needs of the society: of Education to review the school curriculum to reflect the the Federal Ministry of Education to propose an amendment to the Universal Basic calIon Education Act, to address the problems in its implementation: also mandate on basic education and infrastructure; the Committee on Basic Education to conduct investigation on funds expended further employed deterrent urge the Federal Ministry of Education to set up an agency to monitor children as domestic workers with a view to sanctioning their employers.
to serve as a still urge the Federal Government in Indonesian numeracy and English/Arabic and Malaysian where Technical, vocational and entrepreneurship literacy are integrated into the Almajiri education; to adopt Pondok Quranic education system.

as practised skills, with invite traditional Agriculture (NAPTIP).

Management Investment leaders.

religious .

Women Affairs, National Agency Bank of Industry leaders, the Ministry for the Prohibition of Education.

UBEC, Health/Youth.
UBEC, Health/Youth.

of Trafficking in Persons (CBN), National Emergence (BOI), Central Bank of Nigeria Agency to participate (NEMA), W;)(,'!

Resources.

Humanitarians Affairs and Social in a public hearing: further mandate school children with specific the Committee terms of reference: on Basic Education to create a Sub-Committee on out-of- (iv) (v) (vi) (vii) (viii) (ix) (x) (xi) (xii) (xiii) (xil') (rv) (ni} 2184 Thursday, 12 March, 2020 :\0.
78 (xvii) mandate each Member to use the last weekend of March 2020 to organize a town hall meeting on the importance of education; (xviii) urge the Federal Government (NYSC) ACL to encourage 104/03/2020) .

to propose teaching an amendment by Youth Corpers to the National Youth Service Corps (HR.

service during their year 6.

Adjournment That the House do adjourn till Tuesday, 17 March, 2020 at 11.00 a.lI1.

(Hon.

Alhassan Ado Garbo - House Leader).

The House adjourned accordingly at 4.20 p.lIl.


Femi Hakeem Ghajahiamila Speaker •