The Federal Government has stepped up efforts to tackle Nigeria’s out-of-school children crisis, deploying data-driven reforms, expanded investments, and stronger collaboration to bring millions of children back into classrooms.
This was the focus of discussions at the 2026 Basic Education in Nigeria Bootcamp held in Jos, where policymakers, education stakeholders, and development partners outlined practical strategies to improve school access, retention, and learning outcomes nationwide.
Minister of Education, Maruf Tunji Alausa, said credible data and effective learner tracking remain central to addressing the challenge. He noted that reforms can only succeed when government is able to accurately identify out-of-school children and deploy targeted interventions to reach them.
“Without credible data, we cannot solve the out-of-school children crisis. We must know where these children are, who they are, and design targeted interventions that bring them back into learning,” Alausa said.
According to him, the Federal Ministry of Education is expanding the Digital National Education Management Information System (NEMIS) and rolling out the Learner Identification Number (LIN) to strengthen data collection and monitoring across the sector.
“The expansion of NEMIS and the introduction of the Learner Identification Number will give us a clearer, real-time picture of enrolment, attendance, and learning outcomes across the country,” he added.
He disclosed that the 2025/2026 Annual School Census has already captured over two million learners, while nearly one million out-of-school children have been identified and mapped for reintegration into the education system.
“We have already made significant progress. Over two million learners have been captured, and close to one million out-of-school children have been identified for reintegration. This is a major step forward,” the minister stated.
Alausa also highlighted key investments supporting the initiative, including over ₦106 billion in Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) grants, ₦22 billion allocated for teacher training impacting about 978,000 teachers, the renovation of more than 10,000 classrooms, and the distribution of 7.8 million textbooks nationwide.
“Our investments reflect our commitment from infrastructure to teacher capacity and learning materials to ensure no child is left behind,” he said.
He stressed that these interventions are part of a broader commitment by the Federal Government to ensure inclusive, equitable, and quality education, particularly for underserved and vulnerable children.
Stakeholders at the bootcamp emphasized the need for sustained national coordination, innovation, and accountability to reverse the out-of-school trend and improve foundational learning across Nigeria.
“We must work collectively government, communities, and partners to ensure every Nigerian child has access to quality education,” Alausa added.