Kaduna Unveils Education Census, Returns Over 187,000 Out-Of-School Children to Classrooms

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Deputy Governor Hadiza Balarabe unveiled Kaduna State's 2025/2026 Annual School Census and Out-of-School Children Mapping reports, revealing that over 187,000 children are currently out of school. The state government has committed 25% of its 2026 budget to education, aiming to strengthen education planning and return the out-of-school children to classrooms.

Speaking at the unveiling, Deputy Governor Balarabe said the reports would provide reliable data to guide government decisions on school infrastructure, teacher deployment, and targeted interventions aimed at improving access to education. She disclosed that the mapping exercise identified 187,719 children who are currently out of school, with more than 91 percent of affected households citing poverty as the leading reason for non-enrolment. Balarabe noted that education accounts for 25 percent of Kaduna State's 2026 budget, adding that sustained investments in the sector, including free basic education and school feeding programmes, have reduced the number of out-of-school children from over 500,000 in previous years.

Country Director of Save the Children International, Duncan Harvey, described the exercise as a milestone that provides household-level data across all 23 local government areas of the state, replacing estimates with accurate information for planning. According to him, the mapping identifies where out-of-school children live and the factors keeping them out of classrooms, enabling more targeted interventions under the programme's objective of enrolling 100,000 children.

The Kaduna State Government, through the exercise, has been able to identify the root causes of out-of-school children, including poverty, lack of access to education centers, and inadequate infrastructure. With the data collected, the state has launched a plan to improve access to education and reduce the number of out-of-school children.

The exercise demonstrates Kaduna State’s commitment to evidence-based planning, transparency, and accountability in the education sector. Commissioner for Education, Abubakar Sambo, said the reports would shape future education policies, teacher distribution, and school infrastructure development.

Statistician-General of the Kaduna State Bureau of Statistics, Baba Alhaji, said the state adopted a digitised Education Management Information System for the census to enhance data quality, accuracy, and reliability. He explained that the exercise covered all 23 local government areas and would improve education policy formulation, budgeting, and performance monitoring.

Executive Secretary of the National Commission for Almajiri and Out-of-School Children Education, Mohammad Idris, urged stronger teacher accountability and practical reforms to improve learning outcomes. He also recommended scrapping compulsory school uniforms for children from poor households to remove financial barriers to enrolment.

Representing the Statistician-General of the Federation, Hassan Harun, said the reports provided credible evidence for policy formulation, resource allocation, and better educational outcomes. He encouraged stakeholders to sustain annual education data collection and strengthen collaboration in promoting evidence-based decision-making across the country.

Chairman of the Kaduna State House of Assembly Committee on Education, Mahamoud Ismaila, pledged continued legislative backing for policies that promote inclusive and quality education. He praised the state’s sustained investment in education and called for continued efforts to ensure children remain enrolled and complete their schooling.

ROOSC Project Coordinator, Ezra Angai, said the project has already returned more than 25,000 children to learning, remains on course to enrol 100,000 children within four years, and is expanding school infrastructure, strengthening teacher capacity, and deepening community engagement.

UNICEF Chief of Field Office in Kaduna, Gerida Birukila, urged government and its partners to ensure that the digitised education data informs policies, budgets, and innovative learning programmes. She emphasised the importance of prioritising children with disabilities and translating the findings into concrete actions that improve access to quality education for every child.