FG Launches Reforms for Almajiri and Out-of-School Children

The Federal Government of Nigeria has unveiled new reforms aimed at ensuring that every Nigerian child returns to school and acquires necessary knowledge and skills. Dr Balarabe Kakale, the Special Adviser to the Minister of Education on Almajiri and Out of School Children, announced these reforms in Kaduna during a National Education Sector Renewal Initiative (NESRI) advocacy event.

The reforms include transformative policies designed to strengthen coordination between federal and state agencies in the education sector, focusing on five pillars: foundational literacy, numeracy, vocational and technical education, digital education, and civic education. Kakale urged states to adopt the National Commission for Almajiri and Out-of-School Children Education Act to address their unique educational challenges.

He praised the Kaduna Government for its Reaching Out-of-School Children (ROSK) project, which serves as a model for national interventions. Kakale emphasized the importance of reliable data for tracking out-of-school children and stated that the Federal Government would no longer rely on third-party estimates.