The Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) has partnered with traditional and religious leaders across Nigeria to tackle the out-of-school children crisis through grassroots mobilisation, household identification and community monitoring of school attendance. The initiative followed a Memorandum of Understanding between UBEC and the Sultan Foundation for Peace and Development, announced on Thursday, November 5, 2026.
Latest: UBEC and Nigeria’s out-of-school children crisis: latest developments
Key Highlights
- UBEC is working with traditional and religious leaders to increase enrolment and attendance.
- National, state and local coordinating committees will guide implementation.
- Advocacy materials will be produced in Hausa, Fulfulde and Yoruba.
- The initiative will support household identification and enrolment of out-of-school children.
- UNICEF’s 2025 report recorded 10.2 million out-of-school children in Nigeria.
- UBEC says its infrastructure interventions benefited more than 2.3 million learners by the end of 2025.
UBEC Mobilises Traditional Rulers to Increase School Enrolment
Under the agreement, traditional and religious institutions will be mobilised to strengthen community participation in basic education, particularly in underserved communities where poverty, cultural barriers and other social challenges limit children’s access to schooling.
National, state and local coordinating committees will drive advocacy and grassroots mobilisation. Traditional and religious leaders will also encourage parents and guardians to prioritise education and help monitor pupils’ enrolment, attendance, retention and completion.
The agreement provides for advocacy materials in Hausa, Fulfulde and Yoruba, household-level identification of out-of-school children and support to enrol them in nearby schools.
UBEC Executive Secretary Explains Importance of Partnership
UBEC Executive Secretary Aisha Garba said the partnership reflects the Federal Government’s recognition that addressing the out-of-school children crisis requires more than funding and infrastructure.
“Traditional and religious leaders are indispensable to the success of this initiative, given their influence in shaping community values, guiding family decisions and mobilising grassroots support,” she said.
Garba said the initiative would pay particular attention to girls, whose access to education is affected by social and cultural barriers in some communities. She added that accountability mechanisms would recognise communities, schools and traditional leaders recording measurable improvements.
“The success of this partnership will be measured by increased school enrolment, improved attendance and retention, stronger learning outcomes and a sustained reduction in the number of out-of-school children,” she said.
Nigeria Records 10.2 Million Out-of-School Children – UNICEF
According to the UNICEF Nigeria Annual Report 2025, Nigeria had 10.2 million out-of-school children, with 45 per cent in the North-West and 28 per cent in the North-East. The report also said school attendance among children and young people aged three to 24 stood at 70 per cent, with attendance at 51 per cent in rural communities and 75 per cent in urban areas.
The figures highlight the concentration of the education crisis in northern Nigeria, particularly in communities affected by insecurity, poverty, displacement and inadequate access to functional schools.
In May 2026, Education Minister Dr Maruf Tunji Alausa said the Federal Government had returned more than one million children to classrooms within 30 months through various interventions. He also said a nationwide mapping exercise was under way to establish more accurate figures and identify children’s locations through geotagging.
The Federal Ministry of Education has also highlighted its Back2School Drive and interactive out-of-school children dashboard to identify affected children, support enrolment and improve the targeting of interventions.
UBEC Reports 4,900 Classrooms Built and Renovated
Garba said UBEC, working with the Federal Ministry of Education and State Universal Basic Education Boards, had facilitated the construction of more than 4,900 classrooms and renovation of existing school facilities across the country.
She said UBEC had provided water, sanitation and hygiene facilities, with the infrastructure interventions benefiting more than 2.3 million learners by the end of 2025. The commission had also advanced community-driven school improvement programmes and teacher development initiatives.
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Kebbi Deputy Governor Commends Sultan Foundation
Kebbi Deputy Governor Senator Umar Tafida, who represented Governor Nasir Idris at the event, commended the Sultan Foundation for Peace and Development for its contributions to health and social development, including interventions supported by development partners such as the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
Tafida said Kebbi State appreciated the foundation’s efforts to improve the welfare and educational opportunities of vulnerable children. He conveyed the governor’s goodwill to UBEC, the Sultan Foundation and the Nasara Foundation.
UBEC Promises Continued Collaboration
Garba said UBEC would continue working with state governments, traditional institutions and development partners to expand access to quality basic education. She said community participation would be essential to improving enrolment, attendance and learning outcomes.
The partnership is intended to strengthen grassroots efforts to identify out-of-school children, address barriers to education and encourage parents to prioritise schooling. Its impact will depend on effective implementation, sustained community involvement and accountability across all levels of government.
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