…….Enrolment Rises to 2.57 Million as Out-of-School Children Drop by Nearly 65 Per Cent.
FIC REPORT (KADUNA STATE) – The Kaduna State Government has reaffirmed its commitment to sustaining the gains recorded under the Partnership for Learning for All in Nigeria (PLANE) Programme, following the conclusion of the initiative in Kaduna State and other participating states.
Deputy Governor, Dr. Hadiza Sabuwa Balarabe, stated this while delivering the keynote address on behalf of Governor Uba Sani at the Regional Education Celebration and Close-Out Ceremony held at Sir Kashim Ibrahim House, Kaduna.
Dr. Balarabe commended the Government of the United Kingdom, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), UNICEF, Save the Children International, and other development partners for their invaluable contributions to improving access to quality education in Kaduna State.
She highlighted the significant achievements of the PLANE Programme, which included training more than 6,300 teachers in modern literacy and numeracy teaching methods, providing leadership training for nearly 700 head teachers, and distributing over 737,000 teaching and learning materials to 699 public schools across six local government areas.
The Deputy Governor further disclosed that the programme supported the establishment of 87 Community Learning Hubs and facilitated community-based learning opportunities for more than 76,000 learners, predominantly girls and children with disabilities.
According to her, these interventions strengthened education planning, teacher development, school management and foundational learning, while expanding access to educational opportunities for children in underserved communities.
Dr. Balarabe reiterated the Kaduna State Government’s commitment to prioritising education, noting that 25 per cent of the state’s ₦985.9 billion 2026 budget was allocated to the sector to improve educational infrastructure, strengthen teaching and learning, and address the challenge of out-of-school children.
She disclosed that basic school enrolment in Kaduna State had increased from 2.17 million in 2022 to over 2.57 million in 2025, with almost equal numbers of boys and girls, reflecting progress towards inclusive access to education.
Highlighting the administration’s success in reducing the number of out-of-school children, the Deputy Governor stated that the figure had declined significantly since the current administration assumed office.
“When this administration came into office, an estimated 535,000 children in the state were out of school.
Our recent household-based mapping across all 23 Local Government Areas puts the figure at 187,719, a reduction of nearly 65 per cent,” she said.
She attributed the progress to sustained government interventions, collaboration with development partners, improved education planning, community engagement and deliberate efforts to ensure that more children, particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds, have access to basic education.
The Deputy Governor emphasised that the conclusion of the PLANE Programme should not be viewed as the end of efforts to improve educational outcomes but as an opportunity to consolidate existing achievements and strengthen the state’s education system.
She urged participating states to sustain the progress recorded through continued collaboration, effective policy implementation and increased investment in education,
stressing that every child deserves access to quality, inclusive and equitable learning opportunities.
Dr. Balarabe also expressed the Kaduna State Government’s appreciation to the British Government, FCDO, UNICEF, Save the Children International and all implementing partners for their support, while reaffirming the state’s readiness to explore further partnerships in education and other critical sectors.
The Regional Education Celebration and Close-Out Ceremony marked the conclusion of the PLANE Programme’s interventions in Kaduna and other participating states, recognising its contributions to foundational learning, teacher capacity development, education planning and inclusive learning opportunities.
The Kaduna State Government reaffirmed its determination to build on these achievements through sustained investment, stronger institutional capacity and strategic partnerships to ensure that every child in the state has the opportunity to receive a quality education.
Signed:
Muhammad Gwani
AD FIRC KADUNA
28th October,2026.
