Five hundred and forty-four thousand, nine hundred and fifty-one (544,951) out of school children have been tracked and about 94 per cent of them (514,743) returned to school in Adamawa State, northeast Nigeria.

The United Nations Children’s Education Fund (UNICEF), working in Adamawa State tracked down the out of school children.

It said the organisation was in collaboration with the Adamawa State government in the education sector over the years and it had yielded positive results.

Bhanu Pathak, UNICEF Chief of Field Office, Bauchi, who spoke at the ceremony to mark the commencement of reconstruction and rehabilitation of 80 schools in Adamawa State, said the 544,951 out of school children were tracked in five LGAs, and 94 per cent of the them successfully returned to school.

Speaking at the occasion held in Fufore, headquarters of Fufore Local Government Area of the State yesterday, the UNICEF Chief of office added that
over 599,417 additional children were enrolled into school as a result of enrolment drive in camps and host communities across the State.

”Today, we are witnessing another important flag-off of project on renovation and reconstruction of 80 schools in Fufore and Guyuk LGAs before the end of 2020,” Pathak said.

“Another set of schools would be considered in additional four LGAs ultimately, to contribute to quality education in the state,” he added.

According to him, the renovation and reconstruction of the schools was under the KFW project funded by German Government through UNICEF.

He urged the State government to release the N200 million counterpart funding for the implementation of all basic education intervention in the State for 2020.

Also speaking, governor Ahmadu Fintiri thanked UNICEF for its efforts in ensuring that children in the State were supported to get basic and quality education.

Fintiri said that the enormous task before his administration was to ensure that basic education was made available to every child in the State.

“I am delighted to hear the progress report of the Chairman of the board and I want to use this opportunity to thank UNICEF and development partners on Basic Education in the State, including the Universal Basic Education Board for sponsoring some of these laudable projects.

“Our greatest asset is the children and educating them properly is the surest way to preserve the asset.” He said.

He assured UNICEF that the State government will do everything possible to see that it fulfilled its part in the nurturing of children through the education drive by ensuring the immediate release of its counterpart fund.