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

The Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) has partnered with the Sultan Foundation for Peace and Development to mobilise traditional and religious institutions in the campaign against out-of-school children.

The partnership aims to identify children who are not attending school, facilitate their enrolment and encourage communities to take greater responsibility for school attendance and completion.

The initiative forms part of the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which seeks to improve basic education through investment in infrastructure, teacher development and wider access to learning.

The two organisations formalised the partnership through the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), providing a framework for collaboration with traditional rulers, religious leaders and grassroots communities.

Speaking at the ceremony, UBEC Executive Secretary, Aisha Garba, represented by the Deputy Executive Secretary (Technical), Rasaq Akinyemi, said the agreement reflected President Bola Tinubu’s commitment to education as a foundation for national development.

She explained that the administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda recognises the importance of investing in children’s education, skills and overall wellbeing to secure Nigeria’s future.

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. She said their commitment to institutional coordination and inclusive learning continued to guide UBEC’s programmes.

According to her, the commission has worked with the Federal Ministry of Education and State Universal Basic Education Boards (SUBEBs) to expand infrastructure and improve learning conditions across the country.

She disclosed that the interventions had facilitated the construction of more than 4,900 classrooms and the renovation of existing school facilities. They also included the provision of water, sanitation and hygiene facilities.

By the end of 2025, she said, these projects had directly benefited more than 2.3 million learners nationwide.

The commission has also strengthened community-based school improvement programmes and teacher professional development. These initiatives seek to improve school management and equip teachers and administrators with the skills needed to raise learning standards.

However, Garba stressed that government investment alone could not resolve the challenges confronting basic education without stronger community participation.

She described the Sultan Foundation as a strategic partner capable of connecting government policies with traditional leadership and grassroots action, particularly in underserved communities.

Under the agreement, both organisations will establish coordinating committees at national, state and local levels to drive advocacy and community mobilisation.

Traditional rulers and religious leaders will play central roles in persuading families to prioritise education and ensuring that children enrol in and remain in school.

The partnership will also produce advocacy materials in Hausa, Fulfulde and Yoruba to strengthen public awareness. It will support household-level identification of out-of-school children and facilitate their enrolment in nearby schools.

In addition, communities will participate in monitoring school attendance, retention and completion. The agreement also provides accountability mechanisms to recognise communities, schools and traditional leaders that record measurable improvements in access to education.

Garba emphasised that traditional and religious institutions could significantly influence family decisions and help dismantle social and cultural barriers to schooling.

She particularly highlighted the need to promote girls’ education and ensure that vulnerable children enjoy equal opportunities to learn.

She said the partners would measure the initiative’s success through increased enrolment, improved attendance and retention, better learning outcomes and a sustained decline in the number of out-of-school children.

In his remarks, 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.

He particularly acknowledged its interventions with support from development partners, including 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 described its commitment to disadvantaged children as consistent with the values of Islam and humanity.

He also conveyed the governor’s goodwill to UBEC, the Sultan Foundation and the Nasara Foundation.

Reaffirming the commission’s commitment to the Federal Government’s education reforms, Garba said UBEC would sustain its collaboration with state governments and other stakeholders.

She added that the commission would build on existing achievements, strengthen partnerships and ensure that ongoing programmes deliver lasting improvements in access to quality basic education for Nigerian children.