Abuja: The Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, has announced plans to adopt the Kaduna State household mapping model for a nationwide initiative aimed at identifying and reintegrating out-of-school children into the education system. This announcement was made in a statement released in Abuja by Mr. Ikharo Attah, Dr. Alausa’s Special Adviser on Media and Communications.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, the new approach intends to replace previous estimate-based planning with precise household-level data to determine the exact number of out-of-school children, their locations, and the households they belong to. This exercise will be conducted across Nigeria’s 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory in collaboration with the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS). The initiative aims to enable governments at all levels to design targeted interventions and allocate resources more effectively.
The minister’s decision followed a meeting with Kaduna State Governor, Sen. Uba Sani. Dr. Alausa described the initiative as a significant step towards addressing one of Nigeria’s biggest educational challenges. He highlighted the previous reliance on projections that failed to accurately locate out-of-school children. The new mapping exercise will provide verified information to guide policy decisions and ensure interventions reach the children most in need.
Dr. Alausa cited Kaduna as a case in point, where previous estimates suggested approximately 585,000 out-of-school children, but the state’s household mapping exercise revealed a figure of fewer than 200,000. This accurate data allows for closer collaboration with the Kaduna State Government to reintegrate these children into the education system.
The minister commended Governor Sani for introducing the model, emphasizing its role in improving decision-making and service delivery in education. Dr. Alausa confirmed that the ministry is already working with the NBS to replicate this methodology nationwide to enhance planning, monitor progress, and reduce the number of out-of-school children.
Dr. Alausa assured Nigerians that no child would be left behind, highlighting that the nationwide mapping exercise would support practical solutions and strengthen collaboration with state governments and development partners. He noted that this initiative would lead to improved school enrollment and retention rates.
Governor Sani also praised Dr. Alausa and the Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Ahmad, for the ongoing reforms in the education sector. He expressed gratitude to President Bola Tinubu for his support, which has facilitated meaningful reforms across the country. Governor Sani reaffirmed Kaduna State’s commitment to working with the Federal Ministry of Education to expand access to quality education and expressed satisfaction that Kaduna’s household mapping exercise had been adopted as the national model.