The Katsina State Universal Basic Education Board says that there are about 775,000 out-of-school children across the 34 local government areas of the state as a result of banditry and the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Director, Social Mobilization of the Board, Abdulmalik Bello, revealed this on Wednesday.
He said Kankara and Kafur Local Governments have the highest number of out-of-school children.
Bello said, “In 2018, Katsina had 1,137,000 out-of-school children and from that time, the board and state government joined hands with UNICEF where we were able to bring back 360,000 children to school.
“Based on Annual School Census report, we now have over 775,000 out-of-school children. This prompted us to embark on another massive back to school campaign across the state.
“We are targeting to bring back 200,000 out-of-school children, including the Al-majirai to school this year through the Back to School and Behavioural Change Campaign.”
Earlier, the UNICEF Focal Personal, Ministry of Education, Binta Abdulmumin, said the organisation was embarking on the back to school campaign in Kankara and Kafur because they are the local government areas with the highest number of out-of-school children in the state.
