By SHINDONG BALA; Editing by BASIRAT MEMUDU
Kaduna State Government has announced a significant reduction in the number of out-of-school children, with a comprehensive statewide survey revealing that the figure has dropped from about 500,000 three years ago to 187,719.
The latest findings were unveiled at the presentation of the Kaduna State 2026 Out-of-School Children Mapping Report, organised by the Kaduna State Reaching Out of School Children (ROOSC) Project with support from UNICEF and other development partners in Kaduna.
Presenting the report, the Project Coordinator of the ROOSC Project, Mr. Ezra Angai, described the findings as a reminder that much work still lies ahead despite the progress recorded.
He said the state had set an ambitious target of returning 100,000 out-of-school children to classrooms within four years and disclosed that more than 25,000 children had already been enrolled in formal schools and learning centres.
Mr. Angai explained that an additional 20,000 children were currently participating in catch-up learning clubs and are expected to be integrated into formal schools when the new academic session begins in September.
The 3 Pillars of ROOSC
He said the project was built on three major pillars: expanding access to education through school construction and rehabilitation, improving learning outcomes through teacher development, and strengthening community ownership through School-Based Management Committees (SBMCs).
The Project Coordinator maintained that procurement has been completed for 42 of the proposed 102 new schools under the programme, while construction is ongoing in 16 schools and rehabilitation work is progressing in 26 others. He added that procurement had also commenced for another 90 school projects.
Professional Training
On quality education, Mr. Angai said more than 4,000 teachers had received professional training in structured pedagogy and classroom management to improve learning outcomes across public schools.
He noted that Kaduna State had also implemented a Safe Schools policy, with 60 schools already trained on its provisions, adding that no school in the State remains closed due to insecurity.
While acknowledging improvements in access, Mr. Angai said retaining children in school remains a challenge, particularly for those who had previously dropped out.
He explained that the project had established a monitoring database to track returning pupils and provide early interventions where necessary.
The project coordinator added that children living with disabilities identified during the mapping exercise were receiving assistive devices, including wheelchairs, Braille materials, hearing aids and prescription glasses, to support their continued education.
UNICEF Commends KDSG
UNICEF Chief of Field Office, Kaduna, Dr. Birukila Gerida, described the mapping exercise as a landmark achievement, noting that the state now possesses a digitised education database capable of supporting faster and more effective policy decisions.
Dr. Gerida urged government and development partners to translate the data into concrete action, stressing that the information should guide targeted interventions for vulnerable children, particularly those living with disabilities and those affected by poverty, displacement and climate-related emergencies.
Earlier, the State Commissioner for Education, Professor Abubakar Sani Sambo, reaffirmed the government’s commitment to evidence-based planning, saying the findings would guide teacher deployment, school construction, resource allocation and targeted interventions aimed at ensuring every child in Kaduna State has access to quality education.
