Out-of-School Children: Kaduna, UNICEF Sign Pact

Kaduna State Government has signed a Contribution Agreement between UNICEF and its Reaching Out-of-School Children Project to reintegrate 200,000 out-of-school children into the classroom.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, the State Deputy Governor, Dr Hadiza Sabuwa Balarabe, who signed the agreement on behalf of the State Government, said the Reaching Out-of-School Children Project is designed to address the high number of out-of-school children, which she said was one of the most pressing challenges facing Kaduna State.

She noted with dismay that, currently, many children, particularly girls, children with disabilities, and adolescents, are excluded from educational opportunities, and the project aims to reverse the trend and bring about transformative change.

The Deputy governor said, “The beneficiaries of this project are both direct and far-reaching. We anticipate that over 200,000 out-of-school children will be reintegrated into the education system. Additionally, 1,273,222 primary school pupils will benefit from improved school facilities and learning materials, while 36,233 stakeholders, including teachers, head teachers, and local education authorities, will benefit from training and capacity development.

For her part, the Country Representative of UNICEF, Cristian Munduate, said that through the collaboration, 49,000 children have been successfully enrolled in the Nigeria Learning Passport, which is significantly expanding access to quality education for children across Kaduna State.