UBEC, Kaduna Govt Partner against Out-of-School Kids Crisis

Nigeria faces a severe education emergency, with an estimated 18.3 to 20 million out-of-school children, which is the highest number globally. Northern Nigeria has an alarming number of such children, accounting for an estimated 70 to 80%. The crisis is driven by a complex mix of factors, with insecurity and poverty being the primary causes.

In conflict-affected communities, school buildings lie abandoned. In poor households, uniforms and textbooks are luxuries. In rural settlements, cultural and economic pressures compete daily with the promise of education.

Kaduna State is no exception. Years of banditry, displacement and economic hardship have combined to push thousands of children away from formal learning, even as enrolment figures fluctuate under the weight of insecurity.

Yet, within this grim landscape, the Kaduna State Government and the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) insist they are joining forces to tackle the menace.

On Monday, at the Kaduna State Universal Basic Education Board (KADSUBEB) complex, the tone was one of urgency and resolve as the state flagged off the distribution of teaching and learning materials to public primary schools. Observers note that while infrastructure and materials alone cannot resolve Northern Nigeria’s education crisis, they remain foundational to restoring trust in public schooling.

The state authorities argue that the combination of safe school measures, teacher recruitment, curriculum support and targeted inclusion programmes is gradually reversing years of decline.

In a region where millions remain outside the school gates, Monday’s flag-off was more than a ceremonial exercise.

It was, symbolically and strategically, a pushback against grim statistics, and a statement that Kaduna intends to ensure that every child not only enrolls, but truly learns.

The intervention, driven by KADSUBEB in collaboration with the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), is being positioned as part of a broader strategy to stem the tide of out-of-school children.

Speaking at the ceremony, KADSUBEB Executive Chairman, Mubarak Mohammed, described the exercise as a reaffirmation of government’s commitment to strengthening basic education delivery across the state.

He reeled out the figures: 174,366 textbooks; 190,175 exercise books; 32,343 school uniforms; 3,675 pairs of sandals; 3,675 school bags; 40,175 pencils; 36,000 biros; 36,000 rulers; and 2,788 sports equipment.

“These are not mere numbers,” he declared. “They represent opportunity. They represent dignity. They represent renewed hope for thousands of children across our state.”

For many families battling inflation and unemployment, the cost of uniforms and books often determines whether a child sits in a classroom or hawks goods on the roadside.

Mohammed stressed that the board’s mandate now goes beyond infrastructure to measurable learning outcomes, noting that textbooks enhance instructional delivery while exercise books improve retention and practice.

Uniforms, sandals and school bags, he added, are deliberate tools of inclusion aimed at reducing socio-economic barriers that keep vulnerable children out of school.

The intervention aligns with the education drive of Governor Uba Sani, who has repeatedly described education as the most potent weapon against poverty and insecurity.

Since assuming office, the governor has intensified the Safe Schools Initiative, accelerated school renovation projects, approved fresh teacher recruitment and prioritised training to rebuild confidence in public education.

In many frontline communities previously ravaged by bandit attacks, schools are gradually reopening under improved security arrangements, part of what officials describe as a “confidence restoration strategy.”

Representing the UBEC Executive Secretary, Aisha Garba, at the event, Director of Academic Services, Zipporah Panguru, framed the distribution within the national reform agenda.

She said the intervention aligns with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, which places human capital development at the centre of national transformation.

According to her, UBEC’s statutory role includes coordinating implementation of the Universal Basic Education programme nationwide, disbursing intervention funds, setting minimum standards and promoting access, equity and quality.

She disclosed that UBEC is nationwide distributing over 1.1 million school bags and related items, more than 8.3 million assorted teaching materials, 567,180 teachers’ guides, assistive technology devices, interactive smart boards and computers, alongside the renovation of over 2,000 schools.

For Kaduna specifically, she confirmed the allocation of the 174,366 textbooks and other materials at the ceremony.

“This is collaborative governance in action,” she said, urging that every item must reach the intended classroom and translate into measurable improvements in learning outcomes.

Beyond the distribution of materials, another milestone was recorded with the launch of English Transition Materials under the Partnership for Learning for All in Nigeria (PLANE) programme.

Deputy National Team Lead of PLANE, Samuel Achimugu, said the initiative is being piloted in 138 schools across Kaduna to support pupils transitioning from mother tongue instruction to English.

So far, he disclosed that 1,033 packs of learning materials, 1,183 English literacy teacher guides for Primary 1–3 and 200 cartons of flashcards for Primary 1 learners have been supplied.

He noted that teachers were trained during the Christmas period to effectively deploy the materials in line with federal and state language policy directives.

“Our most recent learning outcomes show clearly that children in Kaduna are learning,” Achimugu said, attributing the progress to strong government partnership.

The Reaching Out-of-School Children (ROOSC) Project also featured prominently at the event, underscoring the grassroots dimension of the reforms.

Project Coordinator Ezra Angai revealed that over 35,000 learning materials have been distributed under ROOSC, while more than 15,000 learners have been reintegrated into the education system through accelerated and complementary programmes. He said community engagement and redistricting dialogues have helped identify and return vulnerable children to classrooms, particularly in hard-to-reach communities.