THE National Association of Seadogs (NAS) has expressed concern over the rising population of out-of-school- children (OOSC) telling governments, organizations and philanthropists that “this is a sad commentary on our social responsibility.”
NAS chapters in Enugu and South Africa, in a collaboration on a project by the association to galvanize national awareness and collective action on the crisis of OOSC in Nigeria, stressed that the time to act is now.
Speaking in Enugu, the Cap’n of the Enugu chapter of NAS, Mr Oseloka Egbuchiem, said, “it is necessary for government agencies, philanthropists, and organizations in Nigeria to enact practical policies and adopt approaches on how to take off school age children from the streets to the classrooms.
With estimates from UNICEF (2025) and UNESCO putting the figures OOSC from 10.2 million to 24 million respectively, the continued rise in the figures means that Nigeria might be unable to achieve the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, particularly, SDG 4, which assures inclusive and equitable education for all.
“That unflattering report is a summary of perhaps what the future is for us and our children,” the Cap’n said.
According to Egbuchiem, NAS had embarked on a one-day campaign on October 7 “to bring attention to the crisis of OOSC in Nigeria through its Street Child Project and Back to School Campaign.
“But the truth is that NAS can’t do it alone. Governments at different levels, and kindhearted individuals should participate in this, because it is a huge crisis,” he said.
He explained that, “in our collaboration with the chapter in South Africa on this campaign, we distributed educational kits to at least 1,000 children in five primary schools in Enugu metropolis and suburb.
Meanwhile, among the social reasons that have kept millions of children in Nigeria out of school are poverty, insecurity, gender inequality, child labour, early marriage, poor infrastructure, and social exclusion.
