The Kaduna State Universal Basic Education Board (Kaduna SUBEB), says the state government is working with community leaders and relevant stakeholders to address the menace of out-of-school children across the state.

Alhaji Tijjani Abdullahi, Executive Chairman, Kaduna SUBEB, stated this at Sabon Gari on Monday, during a one-day stakeholders’ sensitization programme on the enrolment of out-of-school children in the state.

Abdullahi explained that the enrolment campaign began on May 12, under the World Bank-supported Better Education Service Delivery for All (BESDA) programme.

Represented by Malam Rabiu Idris, Deputy Director, School Management, the SUBEB boss identified some of the stakeholders as traditional and religious leaders, as well as parents and caregivers.

Others, he said, included the School-Based Management Committees (SBMCs), Parents/Teachers Association (PTA), Non-Governmental Organizations, Edu Marshal and other community structures.

Describing education as “the key” to children’s growth and development, Abdullahi pointed out that enlisting the support of community stakeholders was very critical to the success of the 2023 enrolment campaign.

According to him, community members and their leaders know all the children that are out-of-school in their various communities.

“We are, therefore, appealing for your support to identify these children and ensure that their parents and caregivers enroll them in school.”

The BESDA Desk Officer, Kaduna SUBEB, Mrs. Josephine Michael, said that the state’s Bureau of Statistics has put the number of out-of-school children in the state at more than 500,000.

Michael added that 50 per cent of out-of-school children in the state were from poor and vulnerable households.

She explained that BESDA, a Programme for Result (P for R), was initiated by the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) with support from the Federal Ministry of Education.

She said that the programme began in 2019, with a US$ 611 million loan from the World Bank, which the Federal Government gave to 17 participating states as grants.

According to her, the programme is specifically designed to address the menace of out-of-school children.

“They are in our streets, in motor parks, in poor and vulnerable households; some are children with disabilities while others are nomadic children, including the girl child and children displaced by insecurity.”

Similarly, Malam Magaji Mohammed, Community Participation Officer, Kaduna SUBEB, said that every child has a right to quality education, adding that Kaduna state has made basic education compulsory for all children.

Mohammed urged the relevant stakeholders to go all out to motor parks, farms, streets, house to house, mosques and churches to enlighten parents and caregivers to enroll their children in school.

Alhaji Haliru Mahmuda, District Head of Kudan, who acknowledged the huge number of out-of-school children in communities, pledged the support of traditional leaders in the efforts to enroll all children in school.

He said that the community structure of the traditional institution would be used to enlighten parents and caregivers to enrol their children in school.

Participants in the meeting urged the state government to improve security in schools and provide adequate furniture and water and sanitation facilities.

They also called on the state government and the BESDA programme to also improve the welfare of teachers for quality education delivery to improve school retention.