THE United Nation has appointed 21 Nigerians to serve as Global Youth Ambassadors Group (GYAs) to reduce the number of out-of school children.
The group, recently launched by the United Nations Secretary-General, Bank Ki Moon and its Special Envoy for Global Education, Gordon Brown, was appointed for the project tagged “A World at School”.
The appointed ambassadors are: Dayo Akindolani, Esther Eshiet, Jackson Akor, Nina Mbah, Ojonwa Miachi, Philip Obaji Jr., Adebukola Orenuga, Ojedeji Samuel, Ichide Charles, Ayodeji Morakinyo, Chinemerem – Amara Egbuchulam and Temidayo Musa.
Others are: Kenechukwu Oraelosi, Oluwaseyi Akindutire, Aina Abdularahmon, Douglas Imaralu, Emilia Asim – Ita, Purpose Osamwonyi Iserhienrhien, Onibode Kofoworola Jennifer and Damola Morenikeji.
A statement by the project office at the weekend in Abuja said about 18.4 per cent approximately 10.5 million of the global estimate of out-of-school children are Nigerians.
It stated that the global reality of having millions of these children and future leaders poorly educated and roaming the streets is a major issue that needs attention.
The organisation disclosed that over 170 million people could be pulled out of poverty by educating children from low income countries.
It said: “Shazia and Kainat are two of our fellow ambassadors in Pakistan. Along with Malala Yousafzai, the Taliban shot them for going to school in their country just over a year ago. Their story and that of so many other of the youth advocates we have joined forces with, inspire us to stand up for the millions of children that are kept out of school because of poverty, early marriage, terrorism, child labour, extreme religious bias and different forms of discrimination”.