Kaduna State Making Strides in Tackling Out-of-School Children Crisis – Governor Uba Sani

• Governor Uba Sani emphasized the need to address the high number of out-of-school children in Kaduna State to achieve inclusive development
• His administration has prioritized initiatives like infrastructure development and teacher training to improve educational access and quality for all children

Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna State has highlighted the persistent challenge posed by the large number of out-of-school children, including those with disabilities, as a major obstacle to achieving inclusive development.

Speaking at the Reaching Out-of-School Children (ROOSC) Start-Up Workshop on Monday, the governor outlined his administration’s multi-faceted approach to addressing the issue.

Governor Sani emphasized that his administration has prioritized six core areas to revamp the state’s education sector:

1. Increasing Access to Education: Expanding opportunities for children to enrol in schools.
2. Infrastructure Development: Building and rehabilitating schools to provide a conducive learning environment.
3. Teacher Capacity Building: Equipping educators with the skills needed for effective teaching.
4. Leveraging ICT: Utilizing technology to enhance education access, quality, and management.
5. Focusing on Girl-Child Education: Promoting gender inclusion in education.
6. Strengthening School Security: Ensuring safety in educational institutions.

The governor listed significant accomplishments, including:

• New Schools: Construction of 62 secondary schools (39 junior and 23 senior), with plans for 50 additional schools to enrol over 100,000 students.
• Classroom Expansion: Building 2,326 new classrooms and renovating 707 existing ones.
• Furniture and Facilities: Supplying over 30,000 pupil desks, 3,704 teacher desks, 918 VIP toilets, and 51 boreholes.
• Teacher Recruitment and Training: Hiring 2,000 qualified teachers and training 26,000 educators in computer skills, classroom management, and literacy.

Governor Sani noted that these efforts have led to better academic outcomes. Kaduna State significantly improved in the 2024 NECO SSCE results, with 67% of students achieving five credits or more, including Mathematics and English, compared to 54% in 2022.

Despite these gains, the governor acknowledged that the number of out-of-school children remains a critical concern. “We are determined to decisively tackle the problem on a larger scale and chart a better future for our poor, vulnerable, and underserved children,” he stated.

Governor Sani thanked international partners, including the Islamic Development Bank, UNICEF, Save the Children International, and the Global Partnership for Education, for supporting education in Kaduna State.

He reiterated his administration’s commitment to creating an inclusive, accessible, and high-quality education system for all children in the state.