As schools resume for the 2025/2026 academic session, the Bauchi State Government has launched a fresh enrolment campaign targeting out-of-school children across the state.
The initiative, spearheaded by the Ministry of Education in collaboration with the Bauchi State Universal Basic Education Board, was flagged off in Kirfi Local Government Area by the Commissioner for Education, Dr Mohammed Rimin-Zayam.
Rimin-Zayam explained that the campaign aims to mobilise traditional institutions to sensitise parents and guardians on the importance of sending their children to school.
He said the Adolescent Girls Initiative for Learning and Empowerment would support efforts by traditional leaders to boost enrolment and ensure continuity in education.
Also speaking at the event, BASUBEB Chairman, Adamu Mohammed, urged all 20 local government chairmen in the state to sack absentee teachers as a deterrent to others.
“This will serve as a warning and make others sit up. Once such action is taken, all the chairmen need to do is notify SUBEB about the decision,” he said.
Mohammed further pledged that the board would reward teachers who show diligence, punctuality, and commitment to duty, stressing that the lack of enrolment of school-aged children poses a threat to the state’s future.
He lamented that while the state government is making efforts to improve basic education, community members are not fully supportive, as many still refuse to send their children to school.
The SUBEB Chairman particularly emphasised the importance of the girl-child education, describing it as key to societal growth.
“I want to call on all the local government chairmen in the state to take responsibility for supervising and monitoring schools in their areas because SUBEB can’t be everywhere at the same time.
“The board will not rest on its oars until basic education becomes the envy of others, in line with UNICEF and UBEC guidelines,” Mohammed stated.
Earlier in her remarks, the Chief of Field Office, UNICEF Bauchi, Dr Nuzhat Rafique, disclosed that the number of out-of-school children in the state had reduced from 1.5 million to 500,000 through collaborative efforts involving government, traditional and religious leaders, communities, and parents.
“This is a huge progress, but still, having 500,000 children out of school is a major concern. Education is the right of every child. No child should be left behind, and that is my humble request—that everyone keys into government policies and strategies to ensure these children return to school,” Rafique said.
She assured of UNICEF’s continued support for the development of basic education in Bauchi and called on all stakeholders to work collectively to achieve universal school enrolment.
