The Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) has partnered with the Sultan Foundation for Peace and Development to tackle the challenge of out-of-school children through grassroots mobilisation and community engagement.
The partnership was formalised through the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), which will involve traditional and religious leaders in identifying out-of-school children, facilitating their enrolment and promoting school attendance and retention.
The Executive Secretary of UBEC, Aisha Garba, represented by the Deputy Executive Secretary (Technical), Rasaq Akinyemi, said the initiative aligned with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda and the Federal Government’s commitment to improving access to quality basic education.
Garba disclosed that UBEC, in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Education and State Universal Basic Education Boards, had facilitated the construction of over 4,900 classrooms and the renovation of existing facilities nationwide.
She added that the interventions had directly benefited more than 2.3 million learners as of December 2025.
Under the new partnership, coordinating committees will be established at national, state and local levels to drive advocacy, identify out-of-school children and support their enrolment in nearby schools.
The agreement will also provide for advocacy materials in Hausa, Fulfulde and Yoruba, while strengthening community participation in monitoring school attendance, retention and completion.
Garba stressed that traditional and religious leaders would play a critical role in addressing cultural and social barriers to education, particularly those affecting girls and children in underserved communities.
She said the success of the partnership would be measured by increased enrolment, improved attendance and learning outcomes, as well as a sustained reduction in the number of out-of-school children.
Also speaking, the Kebbi State Deputy Governor, Senator Umar Abubakar Tafida, who represented Governor Nasir Idris, commended the Sultan Foundation for its contributions to health and social development, particularly its interventions for vulnerable children.
He reaffirmed the state’s appreciation for the partnership and its potential to improve educational opportunities for disadvantaged children.
