In an attempt to tackle Nigeria’s educational crisis, the federal government has revealed a plan to get the estimated 17 million children who are not in school back in the classroom within the next four years.
While this idea may appear overly ambitious, the breakdown shows that the goal is to incorporate at least 10 million of this group into the system within three years.
Speaking to the management team from Connected Development (CODE) during a courtesy visit to the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) headquarters on Monday, March 3, 2025, in Abuja, Hajiya Aisha Garba, Executive Secretary of UBEC, stated that this plan is achievable because the government has already enrolled nearly half of that projected number in various Quranic schools.
“So, what we’re trying to do, working with relevant agencies, is within the next two to three years, we’re able to at least bring basic education into the lives of 10 million out-of-school children,” the ES said.
She explained that this would be accomplished by integrating or infusing Quranic education, collaborating with the Al-Majri Commission and other relevant organisations to ensure that even those attending Al-Majri Quranic schools have basic reading skills.
With CODE’s proposed collaboration and work with other relevant commissions and directly, particularly with States Universal Basic Education Boards (SUBEBs), Hajiya Garba assured that “we will have the necessary infrastructure, conducive learning materials, and an environment to ascertain that even those who have dropped out are back in school.”
In his remarks, CODE’s Chief Executive Officer, Malam Hamzat Lawal, who led his team to honour this August visit, informed the audience that the purpose of their visit was to first congratulate Garba on her appointment as the UBEC’s executive secretary and to explore potential areas of alignment between their works for collaboration.
Lawal described the ES as having an amazing profile and stated that his hope is for his female children to be like her, since her accomplishment illustrates the value of education.
Without schooling, he added, Garba would not have been able to climb to the position of managing one of the World Bank’s largest funds.
As a result, the activist, who is also a Malala Fund Education Champion, stated that the partnership will ensure that these children have access to education and return to school to improve their dignity.
“With this partnership, what it means is we’re going to scale in terms of accelerating progress, reducing the numbers of out-of-school children, and working with critical partners, particularly religious and traditional institutions, to ensure that they all go back to school,” CODE’s CEO stated.
He continued by saying that this will be accomplished by making sure that teachers receive proper training, higher salaries, and appropriate money for the necessary infrastructure.
“Every class must be conducive for children, particularly girls.
Because we know that when girls are on their menstrual cycle, without water or a toilet, they will be unable to attend school,” Lawal explained.
Sani Muhammad, the founder of the Bridge Connect Africa Initiative (BCAI), stated that through the Malala Education Fund Champion program, his organisation has worked with SUBEBs, particularly in Kano State, to persuade the government to adopt the gender-responsive budgeting education framework.
BCAI, he continued, has also worked with non-profit organisations such as CODE and other government agencies to create the Community Participation Framework (CPF), which helps capture the voices of young girls living in underprivileged communities.
“You serve as a beacon of hope and inspiration to many young girls, and we want to congratulate you and also wish you success as you steer the affairs of UBEC,” Muhammad said.
By Etta Michael Bisong, Abuja