By Adamu Yusuf
Save the Children Nigeria has expressed confidence that sustained collaboration among stakeholders will enable the Kaduna State education intervention project to achieve its target of returning 100,000 out-of-school children to the classroom.
The Country Director of Save the Children in Nigeria, Duncan Harvey, stated this while responding to questions during a World Press Conference in Kaduna on measures being put in place to ensure that no child is left behind in the implementation of the project.
Harvey reaffirmed the organisation’s commitment to ensuring that every child benefits from the Kaduna State education intervention through inclusive, community-driven and sustainable approaches.
He expressed optimism that the initiative would not only return out-of-school children to school but also ensure they remain in class, complete their education and encourage more children to enrol.
According to him, Save the Children is proud to be a partner in the initiative, which is being implemented through collaboration between the Kaduna State Government, development partners, UNICEF, the Project Management Unit and other key stakeholders.
Harvey explained that each partner has clearly defined responsibilities, including the construction of new schools and classrooms, teacher training, community mobilisation and other interventions aimed at strengthening the education sector.
He noted that Save the Children’s primary responsibility is to work closely with parents, local government authorities and communities to identify the barriers preventing children from enrolling in school or causing them to drop out.
The Country Director stressed that the success of the project goes beyond the construction of school infrastructure, emphasising that parents and children must have confidence that schools are safe, provide quality education and offer a conducive learning environment.
He added that these measures are essential to building public trust in the education system and ensuring the long-term sustainability of the intervention.
Responding to questions from journalists, the Project Coordinator of the Reaching Out-of-School Children (ROOSC) Project, Ezra Angai, said the Kaduna State Government has intensified efforts to improve access to quality education through the construction of new schools, renovation of existing facilities and plans to recruit additional teachers across the state.
He disclosed that 42 schools are currently under construction, including 16 new schools, while learning centres and non-formal education institutions are also being integrated into the intervention to address the high number of out-of-school children.
Angai explained that the project is being implemented across an initial nine local government areas, where the construction of new schools and the rehabilitation of existing facilities are progressing steadily.
According to him, most of the projects have advanced beyond the foundation stage, with several already at the superstructure and lintel stages.
He expressed confidence that, with effective supervision by the project’s engineering team and design consultants, the schools would be completed to the required standard by September.
Angai added that the government has commenced the procurement process for the construction of 30 additional schools and the renovation of 60 existing schools, with the tender process expected to be concluded in the coming months.
Responding to concerns over the shortage of teachers in some schools, the Director of Planning in the Kaduna State Ministry of Education, Salisu Baba Lawal, acknowledged that inadequate manpower remains a major challenge, noting that the administration of Governor Uba Sani is taking concrete steps to address the situation.
He said a statewide teacher needs assessment has been completed and recruitment will be carried out based on the staffing requirements of individual schools.
Lawal further explained that the recent extension of the retirement age for teachers from 60 to 65 years is aimed at retaining experienced educators to mentor newly recruited teachers pending the completion of the recruitment exercise.
He expressed optimism that additional teachers would soon be employed to strengthen the state’s education system and improve learning outcomes.
