Musa Na Allah, Sokoto
To tackle the rising crisis of out-of-school children, the Sokoto State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) has launched a massive enrollment and retention drive in Bagarawa District, vowing that no child in the state will be left behind.
The initiative, a key pillar of Governor Ahmed Aliyu Sokoto’s 9-Point Agenda, places education at the heart of his administration’s reforms.
Speaking at the flag-off, SUBEB Executive Chairman, Alhaji Umar Nagwari Tambuwal, declared:
“The era of children roaming the streets instead of being in classrooms is over. Education is not a privilege, it is the right of every child in Sokoto State.”
The campaign, described as one of the most ambitious grassroots enrollment efforts in the state’s history, will roll out in phases — from zonal mobilization to local government and ward levels.
Nigeria has the world’s highest number of out-of-school children, with UNICEF’s 2023 report placing the figure at over 20 million.
Sokoto, alongside Kebbi, Katsina, and Zamfara, is among the hardest hit, with more than 900,000 children of school age currently out of classrooms.
Poverty, insecurity, child labor, and cultural barriers remain major obstacles.
To boost enrollment, Nagwari revealed that discussions are underway with federal authorities to revive the suspended school feeding programme.
“When children are guaranteed a meal at school, families are more encouraged to send and keep them there,” he said.
He also announced a staff verification exercise aimed at eliminating ghost workers and paving the way for the recruitment of qualified teachers. “We need real teachers in classrooms, not ghost names on paper,” he stressed.
On infrastructure, Sokoto State, in partnership with the Federal Government, has earmarked over ₦7 billion for building new classrooms, rehabilitating dilapidated schools, and providing textbooks, furniture, and teaching materials.
In the long term, SUBEB plans to convene a Statewide Education Summit to bring together policymakers, traditional rulers, academics, civil society, and development partners to design a comprehensive roadmap for education reform.
The campaign has received strong backing across levels. SUBEB’s Director of Mobilization, Rabi Gwadabawa, cautioned: “Enrollment without retention is failure. Communities must take ownership if this drive is to succeed.”
Federal authorities have also pledged support. UBEC representative Abdulkadir Shehu commended Sokoto’s bold action, noting, “Nigeria cannot achieve its education goals if Sokoto is left behind. UBEC stands ready to fully support this effort.”
Grassroots leaders echoed the commitment. SUBEB Permanent Member I, Hon. Buda Badau, described the campaign as “historic.”
Bodinga LGA Chairman, Hon. Shehu Mohammed Dingyadi, called education the “most potent weapon against poverty, insecurity, and ignorance.”
The District Head of Bagarawa, Alhaji Aliyu Dan Isah, pledged to rally his community, while School-Based Management Committees urged parents to end cultural practices that especially deny girls education.
With the Bagarawa launch, Sokoto has sent a strong signal: the tragedy of out-of-school children will no longer be tolerated.
The true test, however, will lie in sustaining funding, ensuring transparency, and securing community commitment to education as the cornerstone of a safer and more prosperous future.
