By By Elizabeth Ugbo
The Federal Government has adopted Kaduna State’s household mapping model as the national framework for identifying out-of-school children across Nigeria. Minister of Education Dr. Tunji Alausa announced the decision on Thursday after a meeting with Kaduna State Governor Uba Sani in Kaduna, saying the initiative will replace estimate-based planning with verified household data. The new approach aims to improve education planning, strengthen resource allocation, and return millions of out-of-school children to classrooms under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
FG Shifts to Data-Driven Education Planning
According to a statement by the minister’s Special Adviser on Media and Communications, Ikharo Attah, the Federal Ministry of Education will work with the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) to conduct a nationwide household mapping exercise.
The exercise will cover all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory. It will identify the exact number of out-of-school children, their locations, and the households they belong to.
As a result, the government expects to replace broad estimates with verified household-level data. This will help policymakers design targeted interventions and allocate resources more efficiently.
Kaduna Model Becomes National Standard
Speaking after the meeting, Alausa described the initiative as a major breakthrough in addressing one of Nigeria’s biggest education challenges.
He explained that education planning had relied on projections for years. However, the new system will provide accurate information on every affected child.
“With this exercise, we now know where these children are and the households they belong to. That gives us the opportunity to work closely with the Kaduna State Government to bring them back to school,” he said.
The minister noted that previous estimates placed Kaduna’s out-of-school population at about 585,000 children. However, the household mapping exercise revealed that the actual figure is fewer than 200,000.
He praised Governor Uba Sani for introducing a model that provides a clearer picture of the challenge and improves education planning and service delivery.
Nationwide Mapping Exercise Begins
Alausa said the Federal Ministry of Education has already partnered with the National Bureau of Statistics to replicate Kaduna’s methodology across the country.
He expressed confidence that the nationwide exercise would enable the government to plan effectively, deploy resources wisely, and monitor progress in reducing the number of out-of-school children.
According to him, the initiative aligns with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda and supports the administration’s goal of ensuring that every child has access to quality education.
“The nationwide household mapping exercise will provide the accurate data needed to support practical solutions, strengthen collaboration with state governments and development partners, and ensure that more out-of-school children are identified, enrolled and retained in school,” Alausa said.
Governor Uba Sani Commends Education Reforms
Governor Uba Sani applauded Dr. Tunji Alausa and the Minister of State for Education for driving reforms in the education sector.
He described their leadership as encouraging and inspiring for state governments.
The governor also praised President Bola Tinubu for prioritising education. He said the Federal Government’s commitment has created momentum for meaningful reforms nationwide.
Furthermore, Sani reaffirmed Kaduna State’s readiness to continue working closely with the Federal Ministry of Education to expand access to quality education.
He described education as one of the most valuable investments any government can make.
The governor also expressed satisfaction that Kaduna’s household mapping exercise has now become the national model.
Nigeria Intensifies Fight Against Out-of-School Crisis
Nigeria has one of the world’s largest populations of out-of-school children. Poverty, insecurity, socio-cultural barriers, and inadequate school infrastructure continue to fuel the challenge.
To address the problem, the Federal Government has made education a central pillar of the Renewed Hope Agenda.
The administration has introduced several reforms, including:
- Nigerian Education Data Initiative
- School infrastructure upgrades
- Student loan programme
- Curriculum reforms
- Data-driven education planning
Alausa maintained that reliable data remains critical to reducing learning poverty and ensuring government interventions reach the children and communities that need them most.
