Olanrewaju Lawal, Birnin Kebbi
  Emirs of Yauri and Zuru Emirates in Kebbi State have vowed to team up with the State Ministry of Basic and Secondary School to tackles about 8,000 out of school children who were reportedly in existence in the state.
   The team of the Ministry,under the platform of Better Education Service Delivery for All (BESDA)  led by the Permanent Secretary, Hajiya Rafaatu Hammani  and Desk Officer of program ,Malam Hassan Umar had visited both Emir of Yauri,Yauri, Dr. Muhammad Zayyanu Abdullahi and Emir of Zuru,Alhaji Muhammed Sani Sani at their palaces.
   The Desk officer of the program, Malan Hassan Umar while seaking st the Emirs’ palaces explained that Nigeria has over 10 million children who are out of the school and majority of them were Almajiris in the North.
Umar lamented that Kebbi alone accounted for over 8, 000 children who don’t go to school which according to him prompted the World Bank, UBEC and Kebbi Government to launch the program.
     According to him,” Children from 3 to 7 years were being targeted with 500 Schools across the state selected as a pilot project.
  “The program is aiming to end street begging, ensure that out of school children are brought back to class among others. The Almajiris, the children of the nomads, fishermen, mechanics all category of children from the age bracket of 3 to 7 years are targeted ” , he said.
    The Permanent Secretary, Ministry for Basic and Secondary Education, Hajiya Rafaatu Hammani informed  the Royal fathers that the team  embarked on the advocacy visits to the four Emirates across  the state to seek the cooperation and support of the Emirs in order to mobilise the traditional leaders for the success of the five years program to increase level of children enrolment in schools.
“A lot of children in the state don’t go to school, so the program is working towards bringing them back and at least ensure they acquire basic education “, she said.
The Emir  of Zuru, who was represented by one of his senior Councillors, Alhaji Ladan Mohammed Musa, Sarkin Sakaba, the Chiefdom of Sakaba pledged the total support of the Emirate for the success of the programme.
   “We always emphasize on seeking for knowledge as an important tool for livelihood. You have the support of all our traditional leaders “, he said.
   In his remarks, the Emir of Yauri, Dr. Muhammad Zayyanu Abdullahi lauded the introduction of BESDA program by the World Bank, UBEC and the Kebbi State Government.
  The Royal father called for a strong political will to sustain the program and directed all his council members to rub minds with the technical team for the success of the program in his Emirate.