Thirteen thousand out-of-school children in Lagos State have been reabsorbed for basic and secondary education in four years.
The Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Mr. Jamiu Alli-Balogun gave the figure while giving an account of his stewardship in the last one year in Alausa, Ikeja.
With different issues on education in the news recently, the Lagos State Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Mr Jamiu Alli-Balogun said the ministry had its work cut out for it but that officers were doing everything to address every situation.
He said the top officials had visited a school in Ilupeju that denied admission to Nigerian children and that appropriate sanctions would be handed out.
Mr Alli-Balogun said of the thirteen thousand out of school children who were reabsorbed, over two thousand six hundred were rescued in the last one year.
The Commissioner stressed that teachers in public primary and secondary schools had been motivated through prompt salary payments, wage award, training and improved teaching environment.
On behaviour of learners in schools, Mr. Alli-Balogun, who said bullying and other negative attitude had no place in Lagos schools, called on parents and guardians to be intentional in the training of their children for a conducive learning environment for students.
Mr. Alli-Balogun said the state government had paid over four point two billion naira for West African Examinations Council, WAEC, candidates in the last four academic years, while over one billion naira had been approved for the 2024 examinations.
Earlier, the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr Gbenga Omotoso said education was important to the Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s administration, hence the increased investment in the sector.
For safety infractions and illegal operations, twelve private schools were also closed down in the last one year.