UBEC Partners Sultan Foundation to Tackle Out-of-School Children

Kuni Tyessi in Abuja The Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) has partnered with the Sultan Foundation for Peace and Development to mobilise traditional and religious institutions in tackling the challenge of out-of-school children and improving access to basic education across the country. The partnership, formalised through the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), is aimed at identifying out-of-school children, facilitating their enrolment in schools and strengthening community participation in school attendance, retention and completion. Speaking at the MoU signing ceremony, UBEC Executive Secretary, Dr Aisha Garba, represented by the Deputy Executive Secretary (Technical), Rasaq Akinyemi, said the collaboration would strengthen the connection between government education policies and grassroots mobilisation. She said the administration recognises education as a critical foundation for national development and human capital advancement, noting that UBEC’s interventions were designed to translate the government’s education agenda into measurable improvements in the basic education sector. Garba also acknowledged the policy direction of the Minister of Education, Dr Maruf Tunji Alausa, and the Minister of State for Education, Professor Suwaiba Said Ahmad, saying their commitment to expanding inclusive access, strengthening institutional coordination and improving learning outcomes continued to guide the commission’s programmes. Highlighting UBEC’s achievements, she disclosed that the commission, in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Education and State Universal Basic Education Boards (SUBEBs), had facilitated the construction of more than 4,900 classrooms, renovation of existing school facilities and provision of water, sanitation and hygiene facilities across the country. According to her, the infrastructure interventions had directly benefited more than 2.3 million learners as of the end of 2025. She added that UBEC had also intensified community-driven school improvement programmes and teacher professional development initiatives to strengthen school management and improve teaching and learning outcomes. The executive secretary, however, stressed that sustaining the gains recorded in the sector required stronger community ownership and the active involvement of traditional institutions, religious leaders, parents and other stakeholders. Under the agreement, UBEC and the Sultan Foundation will establish national, state and local coordinating committees to drive education advocacy and grassroots mobilisation, with traditional and religious leaders expected to play leading roles in encouraging families to prioritise children’s education. The partnership will also involve the production and distribution of advocacy materials in Hausa, Fulfulde and Yoruba languages, household-level identification of out-of-school children and their enrolment in nearby schools. It will further strengthen community monitoring of school attendance, retention and completion, while introducing accountability mechanisms to recognise communities, schools and traditional leaders that record measurable progress in expanding access to basic education. Garba particularly highlighted the importance of traditional and religious leaders in promoting girls’ education and addressing cultural and social barriers that prevent children, especially those in underserved communities, from accessing formal education. She said the effectiveness of the partnership would be assessed through increased enrolment, improved attendance and retention, better learning outcomes and a sustained reduction in the number of out-of-school children. In his remarks, the Kebbi State Deputy Governor, Senator Umar Abubakar Tafida, who represented Governor Nasir Idris, commended the Sultan Foundation for its contributions to health and social development, particularly through interventions supported by development partners, including the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Tafida said the state appreciated the Foundation’s commitment to improving the welfare and educational opportunities of vulnerable children, describing its support for disadvantaged groups as consistent with the values of Islam and humanity. He also conveyed the goodwill of the Kebbi State Government to UBEC, the Sultan Foundation and the Nasara Foundation. Garba reaffirmed UBEC’s commitment to consolidating the Federal Government’s education reforms through sustained investments, stronger partnerships and improved collaboration with state governments and other stakeholders. She said the commission would continue to implement programmes aimed at ensuring that every Nigerian child had access to quality basic education, while building on existing achievements under the Renewed Hope Agenda.