Kosofe LGEA Secretary Reaffirms Lagos’ Commitment to Out-of-School Children
By Bilesanmi Abayomi
The Education Secretary of the Kosofe Local Government Education Authority (LGEA), Mr. Babatunde Shoneye, has restated the Lagos State Government’s commitment to tackling the issue of out-of-school children, while also expressing sympathy for residents affected by the recent demolition in Oworonshoki.
Shoneye, in a message acknowledging Kosofe Post’s coverage of concerns raised by the Community Child Protection Network (CCPN), commended the platform for drawing attention to the plight of children who are out of school.
He explained that the Lagos State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) is implementing Project Zero, a state-backed initiative aimed at identifying, rehabilitating, and reintegrating out-of-school children into public primary schools across Lagos.
“Through this program, in collaboration with all 20 Local Government Education Authorities (LGEAs), thousands of these children have been removed from the streets and reintegrated into classes in our public schools,” Shoneye said.
He noted that the Social Mobilization Department of SUBEB, working with LGEAs and School-Based Management Committees (SBMC), actively engages communities to profile and enroll children into appropriate classes. According to him, beneficiaries are provided with uniforms, school bags, sandals, socks, exercise books, and writing materials to support their education.
Beyond education matters, Shoneye also sympathized with families affected by the Oworonshoki demolition exercise, assuring them that their plight is acknowledged. He expressed confidence that the issue is being addressed by Hon. Sanni Okanlawon, the constituency representative at the Lagos State House of Assembly, alongside other relevant stakeholders.
“We are comforted by the fact that this matter is being taken up… Please, we share in your pain,” he said.