UBEC Returns 700,000 Out-of-School Children to Classrooms, Distributes 15m Learning Kits Nationwide

Kuni Tyessi in Abuja

The Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) said it has returned over 700,000 out-of-school children back to school.

Executive Secretary of the commission, Aisha Garba, disclosed this in Abuja during the distribution of instructional materials to FCT public basic schools organized by the FCT UBEB in collaboration with the commission.

According to her, returning students back to school by UBEC was made possible by the support of the Ministers of Education.

Garba, who noted that education remains the cornerstone of national development, maintained that UBEC is committed to ensuring that every child, regardless of background or circumstance, has access to quality education.

She stated that the commitment is reflected in their interventions nationwide, as “UBEC has advanced inclusive education initiatives through partnerships with all 37 SUBEBs and the FCT, focusing on infrastructure, teacher development, structured pedagogy, teaching aids and digital learning tools”.

She further disclosed that UBEC, in collaboration with states, recently distributed 100,000 instructional materials and school records to Integrated Quranic and Tsangaya Education (IQTE) centres nationwide, strengthening non-formal education and addressing Nigeria’s out-of-school children challenge.

“Beyond core textbooks, the commission has distributed smart boards, tablets, desktop computers and over 400,000 library materials, benefiting hundreds of schoolchildren across the country.

“Recently, 15 million learning support kits were distributed across the country to support wholesome learning among our children,” she said.

“Today’s event in the FCT is a continuation of these nationwide efforts. The FCT SUBEB has received allocations that include core subject textbooks, teacher resource packs, and digital learning aids designed to strengthen teaching and learning outcomes.

“These items, which are around 140,000 in number, are expected to impact no fewer than 10,000 pupils in the FCT. This is indeed a milestone worth celebrating.

“Our efforts have made a great impact on the challenges that schools face in delivering quality education, particularly in terms of infrastructure, teacher capacity and access to learning resources.”

She also urged the FCT Administration to replicate this and other related initiatives through its annual statutory budget, especially in terms of the timely release of counterpart funding for UBE projects, so that together, they can strengthen the quality of basic education, as well as minimize the incidence of out-of-school children in the FCT and indeed in Nigeria over time.