'We will end out-of-school children menace through multi-sectoral action'…Gov. Namadi reaffirms

By Muhd D Haidar

Governor Malam Umar Namadi has reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to a comprehensive, multi-sectoral strategy to end the challenge of out-of-school children in Jigawa State.

He equally assured that the Government will sustain successful education interventions while strengthening home-grown initiatives designed to improve enrolment, retention and learning outcomes.

Governor Namadi gave the assurance on while receiving the Country Director of Save the Children Nigeria, Mr Duncan Harvey, and his delegation when they paid a courtesy visit to the Government House, Dutse.

The Governor commended Save the Children for its decade-long partnership with the Jigawa State Government, describing the organisation’s interventions in education, health, nutrition and child protection as valuable contributions to improving the lives of children across the state.

He assured the delegation that although some donor-funded projects were approaching completion, the State Government would build on the achievements already recorded.

“The best way we can appreciate them is by ensuring that we sustain the gains that have been achieved. We will certainly sustain those gains,” he said.

He added that the partnership had succeeded in transferring knowledge, building capacity and strengthening local systems.

The Governor said the challenge of out-of-school children cannot be addressed through isolated interventions, stressing that it requires a coordinated response across several Ministries, Departments and Agencies, as he disclosed that the State Government had elevated the issue to the State Executive Council, where Commissioners and other political appointees have been assigned specific targets for returning children to school, with progress reviewed regularly at sectoral meetings and Executive Council sessions.

Governor Namadi explained that the administration’s response extends beyond providing school bags and writing materials, saying that community mobilisation and parental enlightenment remain central to achieving lasting results.

“The real challenge is convincing parents and educating them on why it is important for their children to remain in school. Once guardians are convinced, providing educational materials becomes much easier because they already understand the value of education.”

He further stated that programmes such as the Mothers’ Forum, the Jigawa Lifelong Accelerated Learning (JILAL) Programme managed by the Jigawa State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), the Tsangaya Education Programme, and the State’s integrated basic education initiatives are helping to improve enrolment and retention across Jigawa.

The Governor said the Mothers’ Forum has been highly effective in changing parental attitudes towards education and strengthening community ownership of schools, adding that the State currently has seven modern schools in operation, with three additional mega Tsangaya schools preparing to commence enrolment.

The schools combine formal education with traditional Qur’anic education while providing school meals to encourage enrolment, attendance and retention.

Governor Namadi further disclosed that the State Government has identified 130 Tsangaya schools with more than 70,000 pupils for integration into literacy and numeracy programmes without disrupting traditional Qur’anic education.

“We do not want to begin something that cannot be sustained. Our approach is therefore to develop a sustainable model.”

Earlier, the Country Director of Save the Children Nigeria, Mr Duncan Harvey, commended the Jigawa State Government for the strong partnership that has existed over the past decade, saying it had enabled the organisation to implement impactful programmes in education, health, nutrition and emergency response.

He said interventions implemented through the United Kingdom Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO)-funded Partnership for Learning for All in Nigeria (PLANE) Project and the European Union-funded Education and Youth Empowerment in Northwest Nigeria (EYEPIN) Project had expanded learning opportunities for thousands of vulnerable children in Babura, Gwaram, Kafin Hausa and Malam Madori Local Government Areas through accelerated learning programmes, literacy and numeracy support, and transition pathways into formal schools.

Harvey appealed to the State Government to sustain the gains of the partnership by supporting children transitioning into formal education, institutionalising successful interventions and strengthening future collaboration to attract additional investment in the education sector.