The Kaduna State Government has deployed 8,700 officials across the state as part of efforts to tackle the growing number of out-of-school children and boost enrolment in public schools.
These trained, school-based officials are tasked with locating out-of-school children across Kaduna and returning them to classrooms for basic education.
The training, supported by UNICEF and the Reaching Out-of-School Children (ROOSC) project, equips School Mobilization Officers (SMOs) from the state’s 23 local government areas to serve as master trainers who will, in turn, train School-Based Management Committee (SBMC) members in their communities to sustain the outreach.
The initiative was disclosed by the Acting Executive Chairman of the Kaduna State Universal Basic Education Board (KADSUBEB), Mubarak Muhammad, during the opening of a six-day capacity-building workshop for 92 Social Mobilisation Officers (SMOs) in Kaduna.
Muhammad explained that the programme aims to strengthen school leadership, improve communication, and mobilise local resources to raise the standard of education across the state.
“A key goal is to support efforts to reduce the number of out-of-school children in the state, a priority under Governor Uba Sani’s administration,” he added.
UNICEF’s Education Officer in Kaduna, Bala Dada, revealed that about 768,000 children remain out of school in the state, according to a 2022 survey, and the ROOSC initiative aims to re-enrol at least 200,000 of them.
He stressed the vital role of School-Based Management Committees (SBMCs) in driving enrolment, retention, and the effective management of public schools, especially amid challenges such as poverty, insecurity, and limited awareness.
