In response to the rising number of out-of-school children in Nigeria, President Bola Tinubu has approved the launch of the DOTS project aimed at overhauling the education sector, increasing enrollment, and ensuring academic security for the nation’s children.
DOTS, which stands for Data Repository, Out-of-School Children’s Education, Teacher Training and Development, and Skill Development and Acquisition, was announced by the Minister of State for Education, Dr. Yusuf Tanko Sununu. The announcement was made on Friday during the ground-breaking ceremony for new National Examinations Council (NECO) offices in Shabu, Lafia, the Nasarawa State capital.
The DOTS project is designed to address the lack of coordinated, verifiable, and authentic data in Nigeria’s education sector. Dr. Sununu explained that this initiative will allow the Federal Government to monitor student progress and provide targeted interventions, particularly for out-of-school children, girls, and those with specific learning disabilities.
“Out-of-school children represent a major thematic area in the eight-point agenda of President Bola Tinubu, with priority focus on social welfare, health, and education,” Sununu said. “Mr. President believes that the over 20 million out-of-school children we have now represent a group of Nigerians that we have to pay attention to; otherwise, miscreants can use them to cause and foment trouble in Nigeria.”
President Tinubu is committed to ensuring that these children return to school and receive the education and skills needed to become self-sufficient and relevant members of society.
During the ceremony, the minister commended the governors of Nasarawa, Abia, Sokoto, Taraba, Jigawa, Lagos, and Rivers States for their support of the education sector. He expressed confidence that the new NECO offices would enhance the examination body’s ability to serve the Nigerian people effectively.
Prof. Dantani Ibrahim Wushishi, the Registrar and Chief Executive of NECO, highlighted that the establishment of these state offices demonstrates the Federal Government’s dedication to educational infrastructure development under President Tinubu’s leadership.
“This project is a direct outcome of the Federal Government’s commitment to infrastructural development within the education sector and is therefore part of the seven capital projects captured for NECO in this year’s budget appropriation,” Wushishi stated. He also thanked local leaders for their support and emphasized NECO’s commitment to leveraging technology and innovation to improve the quality and accessibility of its services.
Nasarawa State Governor Abdullahi Sule, represented by the Permanent Secretary of the State Ministry of Education, Muhammed Bala, reaffirmed the state government’s commitment to supporting federal initiatives, including those in the education sector.
