UBEC Collaborates with Traditional Leaders to Boost Education

The Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) has initiated a partnership with traditional rulers and religious leaders to address the out-of-school children crisis in Nigeria. This initiative aims to leverage the influence of community leaders to identify children not attending school and facilitate their enrolment.

The partnership, formalized through a Memorandum of Understanding with the Sultan Foundation for Peace and Development, will involve community-level monitoring of school attendance and retention. Traditional and religious institutions will mobilize efforts in underserved communities where barriers to education persist.

The initiative will also focus on girls' education, which is often hindered by social and cultural challenges. Aisha Garba, the Executive Secretary of UBEC, emphasized the necessity of community involvement in educational advocacy.

The agreement includes the development of advocacy materials in local languages and mechanisms to recognize progress in improving access to education. This partnership is critical as Nigeria continues to face a significant basic education crisis, with millions of children still out of school.