STAKEHOLDERS SEEK UNITED ACTION ON OUT-OF-SCHOOL CHILDREN CRISIS

Education stakeholders, civil society groups, and government representatives have called for a coordinated national response to tackle Nigeria’s persistent out-of-school children crisis, describing it as a national emergency that demands immediate and collective intervention.

At a high-level stakeholders’ forum held in the capital on Thursday, participants stressed that fragmented efforts by various agencies have yielded limited results, urging a united front involving federal and state governments, international partners, traditional leaders, and the private sector. “The scale of the crisis requires all hands on deck. No single entity can solve it alone,” said Dr. Aisha Bello, convener of the Education Rights Coalition.

Nigeria currently accounts for the highest number of out-of-school children globally, with estimates exceeding 18 million, many concentrated in northern states affected by insecurity, poverty, and cultural barriers. Recent school abductions have further worsened the situation, driving down enrolment and forcing many parents to keep children at home.

Participants highlighted key drivers including inadequate infrastructure, teacher shortages, economic hardship, and the impact of conflict and displacement. “We must address both access and retention. Building schools is not enough if children cannot attend safely or afford basic learning materials,” noted a representative from UNICEF Nigeria.

The forum recommended the establishment of a National Task Force on Out-of-School Children, increased budgetary allocation to basic education, and the scaling up of conditional cash transfer programmes linked to school attendance. Stakeholders also advocated for community-based learning centres and the integration of Almajiri education into the formal system.

Minister of Education, Prof. Tunji Alausa, who was represented at the event, reaffirmed the government’s commitment to the Renewed Hope Agenda’s education targets. He called for stronger collaboration and data-driven strategies to track progress and ensure no child is left behind.

Civil society groups pledged to intensify advocacy and monitoring, while urging development partners to sustain funding and technical support. The stakeholders resolved to develop a comprehensive action plan within the next three months to guide implementation.

As Nigeria races against time to meet Sustainable Development Goal 4 on inclusive education, unified action is seen as critical to securing the future of millions of children and the nation’s human capital development.