President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, has said the out of school children popularly known as the Almajiri constituted not only social but security challenges to the country as a whole.

A motion submitted by the Kebbi Central Senatorial Constituency, Senator Adamu Aliero for consideration seeks to integrate Almajiri education into the modern system of education in the country.

Senator Adamu Aliero noted that over the years, the Federal Government had made efforts to reduce the menace of street begging via the introduction of the Universal Primary Education ( UPE ) Scheme in 1976 and reintroduction of the Universal Basic Education ( UBE) in September 1999.

Lawan’s led senate urged the federal government to mandate its Committee on Basic and Secondary Education to come up with ways and means of collaborating with state governments on how to enroll the 14 million out-of-school children again in schools.

According to Lawan, there were needs to Integrate Almajiri Education into the Modern System of Education in Nigeria.

In his words, “We all know that the out-of-school children are at the moment a big problem to us as a country.

“They constitute not only social problems but also security problems to some extent.

“Therefore, it is our responsibility to do whatever we can to ensure that they are enrolled in primary and secondary schools, ” the Senate President said.

Nwada Ugochinyere Onyechere reporting, Obinwannem News