Bauchi Out-of-School Children Reduces To 216,000

The Bauchi State government has said that it had reduced the number of out-of-school children from over 1.7 million to 216,000, marking what it described as a historic milestone in the state’s education reform efforts.

The Chairman of the Bauchi State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Alhaji Adamu Muhammad Duguri, disclosed this while addressing journalists yesterday on achievements recorded in the education sector, particularly under the 2025/2026 Statewide Enrolment Drive.

Represented by the Board’s Permanent Secretary, Alhaji Abdulhameed Jibrin, he explained that the cut represented a reduction of over 85 per cent from the inherited baseline and the restoration of the fundamental right to education for more than 1.2 million children across the state.

“For many years, Bauchi State faced a deeply rooted challenge of high numbers of out-of-school children. At its peak, the figure exceeded 1.7 million due to systemic neglect, weak enforcement of compulsory education laws, poverty, and socio-cultural barriers,” he said.

“Today, through deliberate leadership, coordinated reforms, and strong community ownership, the number has dropped to 216,000 as of December 18, 2025,” he said.

According to him, the 2025/2026 Statewide Enrolment Drive was designed as a comprehensive reform programme rather than a routine campaign, while the initial enrolment target was set at 220,000 children, actual enrolment reached 284,000 learners, achieving a 129 percent performance rate.

The chairman explained that the success was driven by a multi-sectoral, data-driven approach supported by attendance monitoring systems, early warning mechanisms, and coordinated stakeholder engagement.

Duguri emphasised that a defining feature of the reform was the active involvement of traditional leadership structures.

He further said Emirate Councils, District Heads, Ward Heads, Village Heads, and Hamlet Heads were engaged as frontline partners in enrolment enforcement, attendance monitoring, child protection, and community mobilisation.

“This approach brought governance closer to the people and ensured education became a shared responsibility,” he said.

He highlighted Toro local government area as a flagship success story, revealing that from an estimated 50,000 out-of-school children, over 35,000 have now been integrated into formal classrooms.

He added that special focus was placed on equity and inclusion, particularly in addressing barriers to girls’ education. Through targeted interventions such as the Adolescent Girls Initiative for Learning and Empowerment (AGILE) and the Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) programmes, the state recorded significant improvements in enrolment, retention, and transition rates among adolescent girls, especially at the Upper Basic and Senior Secondary levels.

These initiatives significantly improved enrolment, retention, and transition rates for adolescent girls, particularly at Upper Basic and Senior Secondary levels, helping to reduce gender disparities across the state.

He added that enrollment gains were reinforced by infrastructure development and system-wide reforms. “The government invested in the construction of Mega, Model, and Smart Schools, undertook large-scale rehabilitation of existing facilities, and advanced the systematic integration of Tsangaya and Qur’anic schools into the formal basic education system,” he added.

He said these measures expanded access to safer and more conducive learning environments.

The Board acknowledged that the enrolment of 284,000 new learners has increased pressure on infrastructure, learning materials, and teacher-to-pupil ratios in high-enrolment areas.

“To consolidate the progress already made and guarantee the full integration of the remaining 216,000 out-of-school children, the government is implementing strategic next steps.

“These measures include formally incorporating traditional leaders into the state’s education accountability and reporting structure, fast-tracking the implementation of the Bauchi State ICT Policy on Education to enhance data management and service delivery, and establishing a Special Teacher Corps to support rural, underserved, and high-enrolment communities,” the chairman added.

He explained that the Bauchi State Government provided the political commitment, clear policy direction, and sustained investment that enabled the reforms to succeed, saying that the administration’s strong resolve to prioritise education laid the groundwork for the progress recorded.

He also applauded the people of Bauchi State, parents, guardians, and community members, whose cooperation and active involvement strengthened enrolment, attendance, and retention. According to him, education flourishes when communities believe in its value and take ownership of its outcomes.

He further acknowledged the vital contributions of traditional rulers, religious leaders, local government officials, development partners, school administrators, teachers, and education personnel across the state, noting that their dedication translated policies into real impact at the grassroots.

“This shared responsibility between government, citizens, and stakeholders is the strongest guarantee that the gains achieved will not only be sustained but further expanded in the coming years.

“What we present today goes beyond figures. It signifies a moral and social triumph. Bauchi State has moved from an education system once defined by limited access to one firmly grounded in enrolment, retention, seamless transition, completion, and strong community participation.

“With robust institutional and community-based frameworks now in place, Bauchi State is firmly set on a sustainable path toward educational transformation, human capital development, and inclusive growth,” Adamu concluded.