UBEC, Kaduna join forces against out-of-school kids crisis

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“These are not mere numbers,” he declared. “They represent opportunity. They represent dignity. They represent renewed hope for thousands of children across our state.”

For many families battling inflation and unemployment, the cost of uniforms and books often determines whether a child sits in a classroom or hawks goods on the roadside.

Mohammed stressed that the board’s mandate now goes beyond infrastructure to measurable learning outcomes, noting that textbooks enhance instructional delivery while exercise books improve retention and practice.

Uniforms, sandals and school bags, he added, are deliberate tools of inclusion aimed at reducing socio-economic barriers that keep vulnerable children out of school.

The intervention aligns with the education drive of Governor Uba Sani, who has repeatedly described education as the most potent weapon against poverty and insecurity.

Since assuming office, the governor has intensified the Safe Schools Initiative, accelerated school renovation projects, approved fresh teacher recruitment and prioritised training to rebuild confidence in public education.

In many frontline communities previously ravaged by bandit attacks, schools are gradually reopening under improved security arrangements, part of what officials describe as a “confidence restoration strategy.”

Representing the UBEC Executive Secretary, Aisha Garba, at the event, Director of Academic Services, Zipporah Panguru, framed the distribution within the national reform agenda.

She said the intervention aligns with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, which places human capital development at the centre of national transformation.

According to her, UBEC’s statutory role includes coordinating implementation of the Universal Basic Education programme nationwide, disbursing intervention funds, setting minimum standards and promoting access, equity and quality.

She disclosed that UBEC is nationwide distributing over 1.1 million school bags and related items, more than 8.3 million assorted teaching materials, 567,180 teachers’ guides, assistive technology devices, interactive smart boards and computers, alongside the renovation of over 2,000 schools.

For Kaduna specifically, she confirmed the allocation of the 174,366 textbooks and other materials at the ceremony.

“This is collaborative governance in action,” she said, urging that every item must reach the intended classroom and translate into measurable improvements in learning outcomes.

Beyond the distribution of materials, another milestone was recorded with the launch of English Transition Materials under the Partnership for Learning for All in Nigeria (PLANE) programme.

Deputy National Team Lead of PLANE, Samuel Achimugu, said the initiative is being piloted in 138 schools across Kaduna to support pupils transitioning from mother tongue instruction to English.

So far, he disclosed that 1,033 packs of learning materials, 1,183 English literacy teacher guides for Primary 1–3 and 200 cartons of flashcards for Primary 1 learners have been supplied.

He noted that teachers were trained during the Christmas period to effectively deploy the materials in line with federal and state language policy directives.

“Our most recent learning outcomes show clearly that children in Kaduna are learning,” Achimugu said, attributing the progress to strong government partnership.

The Reaching Out-of-School Children (ROOSC) Project also featured prominently at the event, underscoring the grassroots dimension of the reforms.

Project Coordinator Ezra Angai revealed that over 35,000 learning materials have been distributed under ROOSC, while more than 15,000 learners have been reintegrated into the education system through accelerated and complementary programmes. He said community engagement and redistricting dialogues have helped identify and return vulnerable children to classrooms, particularly in hard-to-reach communities.

  Integrated Qur’anic, Tsangaya Education (IQTE) centres benefit

Also on Tuesday, the UBE launched the national distribution of 100,000 school records and instructional materials for Integrated Qur’anic and Tsangaya Education (IQTE) centres, as part of efforts to strengthen data management, improve learning outcomes and reduce the number of out-of-school children across the country.

 Speaking at the flag-off held at the UBEC Zonal Office in Kaduna, the Deputy Executive Secretary (Technical), Rasaq Olajuwon Akinyemi, said the intervention targets non-formal learning centres in high out-of-school-children burden zones in the North-west, North-east, North-central and South-west.

 He explained that the materials include enrolment and attendance registers, lesson plans, facilitator guides, assessment records and visitors’ books, which would enhance tracking of learners, support literacy and numeracy instruction and improve reintegration of pupils into the formal school system.

 Akinyemi said the exercise builds on previous IQTE interventions that delivered classrooms, recitation halls, furniture and sanitation facilities to hundreds of centres, benefiting over 69,000 learners nationwide.

 He, however, expressed concern that many centres still depend heavily on federal support due to inconsistent counterpart funding by some states, urging State Universal Basic Education Boards to accord IQTE learners the same priority as pupils in conventional schools.

 According to him, UBEC’s strategy for addressing the out-of-school challenge includes enrolment drives, teacher development, community engagement and expansion of access through non-formal education pathways.

 Also speaking, the Director of Social Mobilisation, Adamu Gurama, said the initiative bridges religious and secular learning by equipping Almajiri and Tsangaya pupils with literacy, numeracy and life skills while preserving Qur’anic values. He noted that the provision of standardised school records would strengthen monitoring and improve teaching quality in participating centres.

 In his remarks, the Kaduna State Universal Basic Education Board commended UBEC for what it described as a culturally responsive intervention that supports the state’s programmes on inclusive education and learning recovery.

 The board said the materials would enhance planning, track learner progression and support transition of pupils from non-formal to formal schools, adding that success would be measured by improved learning outcomes and a reduction in the number of out-of-school children.

The IQTE programme evolved from the Almajiri education initiative and is designed to integrate Qur’anic and Tsangaya learners into Nigeria’s basic education framework while addressing barriers such as poverty, insecurity and infrastructure gaps.

UBEC reaffirmed its commitment to scaling the intervention nationwide through sustained partnerships with states, traditional institutions and community stakeholders.