Abe laments rise in out-of-school kids

Senator Magnus Abe, who represented Rivers South East in the eighth National Assembly has raised an alarm over the rise in the number of out-of-school children in Nigeria.

He also thanked the people for their support and encouragement throughout his stay in the Red Chambers.

A statement by his spokesman, Parry Saroh Benson, said Abe spoke in Port Harcourt during an end-of-term support for doctoral students and outstanding journalists from his senatorial district.

The statement reads: “More than 80 per cent of our public schools are only a place of gathering for children and parents who are thirsty for education. The truth is that nothing is happening in most of our public schools. Over 18 million children are out of school. That is more than the population of Sweden and Hungary.”

Abe lamented that two councils in Rivers South-East were educationally disadvantaged, and encouraged the people to continue to work hard and improve on their educational attainments.

“During my time in the Senate, I found out that two councils – Tai and Oyigbo – are weak in education. We must encourage them to be more competitive. We are doing whatever we can to make the point that education is the future. When I was growing up, Rivers State had leaders who valued education.

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“Today, we must realise that anyone without a working knowledge of the computer and access to the internet in this 21st century will be a functional illiterate. We need to give the children of today the opportunity to excel as we were given that opportunity in our days.”

The senator said the End-of-Term support was to appreciate the support he received from his constituents.

“You are here because you believe in what we are doing. I am doing this to thank the people of Rivers South-East for voting me to the Senate for two terms. I believe that what we are doing here today has significance beyond you, and that there is no other way of growing our country than enthroning merit…”