Dr Lydia Odedeji, wife of the Bishop of Lagos West Diocese in the Anglican Communion, has described Nigeria’s rising number of out-of-school children as a “ticking time bomb” that could endanger the nation’s future.
Speaking at the 26th annual Women’s Conference of the Diocese in Ipaja, Lagos, she cited UNICEF figures showing that over 10.2 million primary school children and 8.1 million at junior secondary level are currently out of school.
Dr Odedeji blamed poverty and insecurity as the main drivers of the crisis, warning that failure to act could trigger social unrest that would affect all Nigerians.
She called for a state of emergency in the education sector and urged lawmakers to introduce legislation to tackle the problem. While commending the government’s student loan scheme for undergraduates, she stressed the need for free education and more substantial support at the basic school level to reduce the alarming numbers.
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