Obaseki Charges Newly Appointed AAUE Governing Council, Stakeholders

By Kadiri Christopher 

Benbow Seadogs 

In commemoration of World Literacy Day 2025, members of the National Association of Seadogs (NAS), popularly known as the Pyrates Confraternity, have embarked on a humanitarian initiative aimed at tackling the alarming rate of out-of-school children in Nigeria.

As part of the project, members of the Benbow Deck of NAS took to the streets of Benin City, identifying and engaging with children who are currently out of school.

The exercise was designed not only to gather data but also to interact directly with the children and their families to understand the root causes of school dropouts.

Speaking during the exercise, the Project Coordinator of the Benbow Deck, Dr. Iyayi Osa-Iguehide emphasized that the plight of these children is largely beyond their control.

“It is not the making of these kids to be out of school. Several factors are responsible for this unfortunate situation. While poverty remains the primary cause, other contributing factors include the death of parents or guardians, displacement as a result of insecurity, and general socio-economic hardships,” he explained.

Dr. Iyayi further stated that the initiative is not just about identifying out-of-school children but also about providing sustained support to ensure they remain in school.

“We are committed to locating these children and establishing contact with their parents or guardians. The goal is to ensure that once enrolled, these children stay in school during school hours. This will help to reduce, and in the long term eradicate, social ills such as child labour, child marriage, child abuse, and neglect,” he added.

He also drew attention to the urgency of the situation, warning that the rising percentage of out-of-school children in Nigeria poses a significant threat to the country’s future if not addressed promptly.

During the outreach, several children shared their stories. Some cited poverty, loss of parents, and lack of sponsorship as reasons for dropping out of school. Many of them expressed their desire to return to the classroom and join their peers in building a better future.

A particularly touching encounter was that of a young boy working as an apprentice in a local trading shop. When approached, he revealed that his master forbade him from going to school, insisting that apprenticeship should be his only focus. Yet, the boy expressed his deep wish to combine his trade with formal education, believing it would give him a brighter future.

Interestingly, while most of the children longed to return to school, a few indicated interest in pursuing skills and crafts rather than formal education. The NAS Benbow Deck acknowledged this and noted that vocational training would also be supported for those who prefer that path.

The theme for this year’s World Literacy Day as adopted by the NAS is

“PROMOTING LITERACY IN THE DIGITAL ERA: BRIDGING THE GAP THROUGH MASS LITERACY.”

The initiative has set a bold target to return atleast 37,000 out-of-school children across Nigeria to school, while also creating avenues for vocational training where appropriate.

Through this project, the National Association of Seadogs hopes to contribute meaningfully to the fight against illiteracy and to strengthen the future of Nigeria by ensuring that no child is denied the right to education.