Urgent Action Needed to Address Out-of-School Crisis

Urgent Action Needed to Address Out-of-School Crisis – Dr. Tunji Alausa
Targets Inclusive Education Amid Rising Learning Gaps
Rolls Out New Strategy to Bridge Education Gap Nationwide

The Federal Government has stepped up efforts to address Nigeria’s growing out-of-school children crisis through coordinated reforms and targeted interventions nationwide.

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Eko Hot Blog reports that the Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, disclosed this on Tuesday at the 2026 Basic Education in Nigeria Boot Camp Summit in Jos.

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The three-day summit, themed “Enhancing Access to Inclusive Quality Education and Bridging the Gap for Out-of-School Children in Nigeria,” runs from April 28 to April 30.

Alausa described the moment as critical in Nigeria’s education journey, stressing the need for sustainable solutions to ensure that every child has access to quality basic education. Despite ongoing reforms, he admitted that millions of children remain out of school, alongside persistent concerns over declining education quality.

He identified key challenges facing the sector, including inadequate infrastructure, shortage of qualified teachers, weak literacy and numeracy foundations, poor digital learning integration, and unequal resource distribution.

To tackle these issues, the minister said the government is implementing reforms focused on curriculum improvement, teacher training, digital learning expansion, and stronger monitoring systems. He added that targeted programmes aimed at improving student retention and performance are also being rolled out.

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Under the administration of Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the ministry is advancing initiatives such as LUMINA 2030, EduRevamp, and Community of Practice, all designed to provide inclusive and sustainable solutions to the out-of-school children problem.

A guest speaker from Kenya, Titus Syengo, described Nigeria’s estimated 18.5 million out-of-school children as a major crisis, urging stakeholders to adopt Afrocentric solutions tailored to the country’s realities.

Plateau State Governor, Caleb Mutfwang, represented by his deputy Josephine Piyo, said the issue represents “millions of lost opportunities” and warned that failure to act could worsen poverty, insecurity, and social exclusion.

He highlighted efforts by the state government, including the construction of 397 classrooms, renovation of 557 others, and provision of basic facilities to improve learning conditions.

The summit is expected to produce actionable strategies for identifying, reintegrating, and retaining out-of-school children in the education system. It will also see the launch of key policy documents, including the National Policy on Alternative Learning Pathways and guidelines for reintegrating pregnant and married adolescent girls into schools.