Federal Government Ties Birth Registration To School Enrolment

By Nafisat Abdulrahman

The federal government has moved to link birth registration with school enrolment as part of efforts to strengthen data-driven planning across Nigeria’s education sector.

The initiative followed a newly – formalised strategic partnership between the Federal Ministry of Education and the National Population Commission (NPC), aimed at integrating birth registration and demographic data into the country’s school admission and education planning systems.

In a statement issued on Tuesday via X by the director of press and public relations at the Federal Ministry of Education, Boriowo Folasade, the minister of education, Dr Olatunji Alausa, underscored the importance of reliable population figures in shaping effective education policies.

“Credible population data is essential for rational school siting, balanced teacher deployment, accurate enrollment projections, and equitable resource allocation,” Alausa said.

He explained that embedding birth registration into school admission processes would not only ensure proper age placement for pupils but also strengthen the integrity of academic records nationwide.

According to the minister, enforcement of the policy would only commence after nationwide access to registration services has been significantly expanded, in order to avoid creating unintended barriers for families.

He further highlighted the transformative potential of digital integration in the education system, noting that improved data systems would enhance transparency, enable authorities to track enrolment patterns, and help identify school dropouts at an early stage.

Responding, NPC chairman Aminu Yusuf reaffirmed the commission’s statutory responsibility to maintain Nigeria’s Civil Registration and Vital Statistics system. He disclosed that over 4,000 registration centres are currently operational across the country, with ongoing digital upgrades designed to improve efficiency and accessibility.

The statement added that both institutions have agreed to establish a Joint Technical Working Group to harmonise verification procedures and ensure database interoperability between their systems.