The United Nations Children’s Emergency Fund, UNICEF, has urged stakeholders to intensify efforts to address the alarming statistic of 10.2 million primary school-aged children currently out of school in Nigeria.
Mr. Rahama Rihood Mohammed Farah, Chief of UNICEF Field Office Kano, made the call while briefing newsmen on International Day of Education 2025.
The theme for the 2025 International Day of Education is ‘AI and Education: Preserving Human Agency in a World of Automation’.
He said currently about 10.2 million children at the primary level are out of school in Nigeria While Northwest Nigeria has the second highest out of school rates in Nigeria with 16% of the total number.
Mr.Rahama explained that the situation of out-of-school population in Kano, Jigawa and Katsina states is alarming, and further exacerbated by poor learning outcomes for those children who are fortunate to be enrolled in school.
According to him “There are currently about 10.2 million children at the primary level are out of school in Nigeria, 16 per cent of them are from Kano, Jigawa and Katsina states, according to MICS 2021”
“Close to one million children are out of school in Kano state( 989,234); a total of 337,861 Out of school children are in Jigawa, while Katsina state with 536,112 out of school children”
UNICEF however call for urgent action from all stakeholders to address the barriers that hinder children from accessing quality basic education in Nigeria.
“Education is a fundamental human right and engine of development of every society. It is therefore important for duty bearers and right holders take action to address the barriers that hinder children from accessing quality basic education” He said.
UNICEF however calls on the Governments of Kano, Jigawa and Katsina to Increase appropriation, release and spending on basic education sector for the development of the states and country in general.
He express support to the initiatives of state governments to improve the education sector and reiterate UNICEF’s commitment to working with the governments of Kano, Katsina and Jigawa states for improved basic education outcomes in the states.