- The loan will fund a program aimed at enrolling over 100,000 vulnerable children, and upgrading schools
- $25.35 million loan from the Kuwait Fund to address the issue of out-of-school children in Kaduna State
- The Kaduna State government has committed its own $1 million to support the initiative
The Federal Government has successfully secured a significant financial boost to combat the persistent problem of out-of-school children in Kaduna State. The government has obtained a $25.35 million concessionary loan from the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development, a key part of a larger funding package designed to revitalize the state’s education sector.
Eko Hot Blog reports that this funding is earmarked for the “Reaching Out-of-School Children programme,” an ambitious initiative with a clear goal: to enroll more than 100,000 vulnerable children into the formal school system.
This includes a targeted focus on girls, children with disabilities, and individuals who have been displaced from their homes. The program is not just about enrollment; it also involves a major infrastructure push to build and upgrade over 200 schools, as well as a concerted effort to improve teacher training and the overall learning environment.
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The Minister of Finance, Mr. Wale Edun, has publicly affirmed the government’s commitment to ensuring that this investment is managed with the utmost transparency. He emphasized that the program is designed to deliver “measurable and sustainable” outcomes, a clear departure from past projects that have lacked accountability.
Kaduna State, under the leadership of Governor Uba Sani, has already demonstrated its commitment to the cause by providing its own $1 million in counterpart funding. The state government has also taken the proactive step of increasing its 2025 education budget to a notable 26 percent, showing a strong willingness to partner in the initiative.
The funding for this critical program is a collaborative effort involving several international development partners, including the Islamic Development Bank, the Global Partnership for Education, the Education Above All Foundation, and Save the Children International.
The Federal Ministry of Finance has been tasked with overseeing all financial processes and a rigorous results-reporting mechanism to ensure the program’s impact is both profound and lasting.
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