Governors across Nigeria have voiced grave concerns over the worsening state of education in the country, warning that without urgent interventions, the sector may face further deterioration.<\/p>\n
Chairman of the Nigeria Governors\u2019 Forum (NGF) and Governor of Kwara State, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, delivered this warning on Thursday during a State-Level Workshop on Foundational Learning and Out-of-School Children held in Abuja.<\/p>\n
Governor AbdulRazaq, who was represented by the NGF\u2019s Education Advisor, Leo The Great, said Nigeria is at a crossroads in its education journey, with a pressing need to confront the foundational issues head-on.<\/p>\n
\u201cNigeria is faced with a crisis. We are dealing with some out-of-school children. However, enrollment in school for most children does not translate into actual learning,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
He cited nationwide statistics that point to an alarming 66% out-of-school rate among primary school-age children, attributing the trend to poor learning outcomes, high dropout rates, and weak transition and completion levels.<\/p>\n
\u201cFoundational skills are not merely the end goal of an educational system; they are also critical building blocks for achieving other educational objectives, including retention and progression from one level to the next,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n
According to AbdulRazaq, the education workforce remains both insufficient and undervalued, a situation compounded by chronic underfunding of the basic education sector and national governance frameworks.<\/p>\n
He went on to highlight multiple systemic gaps in the sector, including:<\/p>\n
\u201cLack of characterisation of the issues of conditional training, absence of appropriate learning materials and independent training and literacy, lack of familiarity with recent research in the operations of conditional training and digital literacy skills.<\/p>\n
Also, weak local capacity and monitoring and evaluation of conditional training disruptions and outcomes, insufficiency of available points, low level of awareness and support from families and communities for conditional training skills, and lack of commitment among state and non-state actors in addressing these challenges are key factors in developing the education sector and in feeding on basic proficiency in numeracy and literacy in Nigeria.\u201d<\/p>\n
He emphasized that the NGF hopes the workshop will catalyze stronger commitment among policymakers at both federal and state levels.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Nigerian Governors Forum expects this workshop to strengthen motivation for federal and state policymakers in driving and sustaining evidence-based reforms to improve implementation of foundational learning and reduce the out-of-school children challenges across the states of the federation,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Also speaking at the event, the Executive Secretary of the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), Aisha Garba, acknowledged that Nigeria\u2019s education system continues to grapple with deep-rooted issues despite various interventions.<\/p>\n
Garba, represented by UBEC Deputy Secretary (Technical), Rasaq Akinyemi, said there is an urgent need to consolidate on past achievements and deliver inclusive education to all children.<\/p>\n
She stated that every Nigerian child, regardless of location or background, deserves access to quality education.<\/p>\n
\u201cDespite ongoing political and systemic barriers, Nigeria\u2019s education system still battles deep-rooted challenges,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
In a related development earlier in the year, the Minister of Education, Olatunji Alausa, while defending the 2025 education budget before the National Assembly, said the federal government was working closely with state governors to confront the staggering number of out-of-school children.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe number of out-of-school children is mind-boggling and disturbing,\u201d Alausa said.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n