By Adamu Yusuf
The National Commission for Nomadic Education (NCNE) has intensified its advocacy efforts to reduce the number of out-of-school children and youths among nomadic communities, beginning with Gombe State.
The exercise, which commenced on August 11, 2026, is part of a wider advocacy campaign targeting six pilot states and the Federal Capital Territory.
In Gombe, the initiative is focused on accelerating the enrolment of 10,854 identified Nomadic Out-of-School Children and Youths (NOOSCY) into basic education.
The Chairman of the Gombe State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), represented by the Director of Social Mobilisation, Dr. Dauda Saleh Mohammed, assured the NCNE of the Board’s support for the initiative.
Dr. Mohammed said SUBEB would strengthen the programme through the provision of instructional materials and the upgrading of school infrastructure in areas inhabited by nomadic communities.
He described the Accelerated Basic Education Programme (ABEP) as a transformative initiative capable of bridging the educational gap by providing flexible learning opportunities for children and youths who have been excluded from the formal education system.
Responding, the NCNE Team Leader and Director of Extension Education and Skills Development, Dr. Abdul Umar Ardo, called on Gombe SUBEB to expedite the deployment of facilitators to ABEP learning centres.
Dr. Ardo said the Commission had identified 10,854 nomadic out-of-school children and youths in Gombe State, adding that more than 200 ABEP learning centres would be established to enrol the affected children and provide them with access to basic education.
He said the advocacy campaign was part of the Commission’s broader efforts to address barriers limiting access to education among nomadic populations and ensure that no child is left behind.
The initiative is expected to strengthen collaboration between the NCNE and Gombe SUBEB and contribute significantly to expanding access to basic education among nomadic communities in the state.
