Ondo Intensifies Efforts To Reduce Out-of-School Children

Ondo State government has intensified efforts to reduce the number of out-of-school children through strengthened community mobilisation and renewed collaboration with the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) and key education stakeholders across the state.

This was the focus of a three-day capacity-building workshop organised by the Ondo State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) for social mobilisation officers drawn from the state’s three senatorial districts.

The workshop, which started yesterday, was designed to strengthen strategies to improve school enrolment, retention, and completion rates, with a particular focus on reintegrating out-of-school children into the basic education system.

At the training, the permanent secretary of SUBEB, Abike Bayo-Ilawole, said the state was committed to tackling the challenge of out-of-school children through sustained community engagement and effective mobilisation strategies.

She stressed that Education remains the foundation of societal development, noting that no meaningful progress can be achieved without ensuring that every child has access to quality basic education.

According to her, the training was intended to strengthen the link between schools and communities, and she added that active community participation remains critical to reducing dropout rates and increasing enrolment.

‎She said, “Education remains the foundation of meaningful societal development, and no state can truly progress when a significant number of its children are out of school.

‎”This is why we are strengthening our social mobilisation strategies to ensure that communities are fully engaged in the drive to improve enrolment, retention and completion rates across basic education schools in Ondo State.

‎Princess Bayo-Ilawole explained that Social Mobilisation Officers play a key role in advocating school enrolment, promoting community participation, strengthening School-Based Management Committees (SBMCs), and ensuring accountability in education delivery.

‎She identified persistent challenges, including low enrolment, irregular attendance, weak community ownership of schools, and inadequate monitoring mechanisms, as key drivers of the out-of-school children phenomenon in the state.

‎The SUBEB permanent secretary, however, expressed optimism that with stronger collaboration and practical engagement at the grassroots, the state would make significant progress in addressing the challenge.

‎Also speaking, the State Coordinator of UBEC, Olanike Adams, described social mobilisation as central to achieving inclusive and sustainable basic Education across Nigeria.

Represented by the Chief Administrative Officer of UBEC, Mr Aremu Ayodeji, she said the training was aimed at equipping officers with the necessary skills to mobilise communities and ensure that every child is captured in the education system.

‎She urged participants to take the training seriously and apply the knowledge gained in their respective local government areas, stressing that reducing the number of out-of-school children requires consistent grassroots engagement.