Save the Children Nigeria has expressed confidence that sustained collaboration among government, development partners and communities will enable Kaduna State to achieve its target of returning 100,000 out-of-school children to the classroom.
The Country Director of Save the Children Nigeria, Duncan Harvey, stated this during a press conference in Kaduna while responding to questions on measures being put in place to ensure that no child is left behind in the implementation of the state’s education intervention project.
Harvey reaffirmed the organisation’s commitment to ensuring that every child benefits from the initiative through inclusive, community-driven and sustainable approaches.
He expressed optimism that the intervention would not only return out-of-school children to school but also ensure they remain in class, complete their education and encourage more children to enrol.
According to him, Save the Children is proud to partner with the Kaduna State Government, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the Project Management Unit and other development partners in implementing the initiative, with each organisation playing clearly defined roles.
He explained that while some partners are responsible for constructing schools and classrooms, training teachers and supporting other education interventions, Save the Children’s core responsibility is to work with parents, communities and local government authorities to identify and address the barriers preventing children from enrolling in school or causing them to drop out.
“Through the Reaching Out-of-School Children Project, implemented in partnership with the Education Above All Foundation, Kuwait Fund, Qatar Fund for Development, Islamic Development Bank, and the Global Partnership for Education, Save the Children remains committed to working alongside the Kaduna State Government,” he said.
Harvey stressed that the success of the project extends beyond the construction of school infrastructure, noting that parents and children must have confidence that schools are safe, provide quality education and offer a conducive learning environment.
He said building public trust in the education system is critical to ensuring the long-term sustainability of the intervention.
Also speaking, the Project Coordinator of the Reaching Out-of-School Children (ROOSC) Project, Ezra Angai, said the Kaduna State Government has intensified efforts to improve access to quality education through the construction of new schools, renovation of existing facilities and plans to recruit additional teachers.
Angai disclosed that 42 schools, including 16 new ones, are currently under construction, while learning centres and non-formal education institutions are being integrated into the programme to address the high number of out-of-school children.
He said the project is currently being implemented in an initial nine local government areas, with most construction projects already beyond the foundation stage and several reaching the superstructure and lintel stages.
According to him, effective supervision by the project’s engineering team and design consultants will ensure that the schools are completed to the required standard by September.
Angai further revealed that procurement has commenced for the construction of 30 additional schools and the renovation of 60 existing schools, with the tender process expected to be concluded in the coming months.
Responding to concerns over teacher shortages, the Director of Planning in the Kaduna State Ministry of Education, Salisu Lawal, acknowledged that inadequate manpower remains a major challenge.
He said the state government has completed a statewide teacher needs assessment and will recruit teachers based on the staffing requirements of individual schools.
Lawal added that the recent extension of the retirement age for teachers from 60 to 65 years is intended to retain experienced educators who will mentor newly recruited teachers pending the completion of the recruitment exercise.
He expressed optimism that the planned recruitment would strengthen Kaduna State’s education system, improve learning outcomes, and support the government’s efforts to reduce the number of out-of-school children.
