Katsina has 536,132 children out of school – UNICEF

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) said on Wednesday Katsina has the highest number of out-of-school children in Nigeria with 536,132.

Katsina is the home state of President Muhammadu Buhari.

The UNICEF Education Specialist for the Kano field office, Muntaka Mukhtar, stated this at a media dialogue on Girl’s Education Project (GEP-3) organised for journalists drawn from Abuja, Kano and Katsina States held in Kano.

He added that Nigeria was one of five countries in the world with a high number of out-of-school children.

READ ALSO: UNICEF raises the alarm as number of out of school girls in Nigeria rises above 10m

The UNICEF official identified gaps in school attendance between boys and girls and common gender norms as one of the indices that continue to put girls at a disadvantage and led to increase in number of school dropout.

Mukhtar said: “Every day, girls face barriers to education caused by poverty, cultural norms, poor infrastructure, violence and fragility.

“On prioritising education for girls, better educated women tend to be more informed about nutrition and health, have fewer children and marry at a later age.

“Educated girls are better equipped to become healthier, more prosperous adults, with smaller families and children who are less at risk of illness and death and more likely to succeed.”

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