Federal Government Takes Steps to Tackle the Out-of-School Children Menace

The Minister of Education, Olatunji Alausa, has unveiled plans by the federal government to tackle the menace of out-of-school children in Nigeria.

While addressing senior reporters over the weekend in Abuja, the minister announced wide-ranging reforms to reposition the education sector with new funding, incentives, and programmes to tackle the most pressing challenges.

He outlined the government’s plan to address the challenge of out-of-school children, weak technical training, poor infrastructure, outdated curricula, and low teacher capacity. Alausa also announced the launch of the Basic Education Transformation Agenda (BETA), designed to accelerate enrollment and improve learning outcomes.

The initiative ties conditional cash transfers to mothers to encourage school attendance and introduces a Back2School Drive. It is in partnership with the National Commission for Almajiri and Out-of-School Children Education, under which the government bears the full cost of enrollment during official handovers.

The minister said the basic education curriculum has been revised to meet 21st-century realities, focusing on critical thinking, digital literacy, entrepreneurship, and civic responsibility. A significant highlight of the reforms is the overhaul of Technical and Vocational Education and Training, backed by N120 billion approved by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

Alausa claimed that starting from the 2025/2026 academic session, students in federal and state technical colleges will enjoy free tuition, feeding, boarding, uniforms, and protective gear, in addition to getting a N22,500 monthly stipend. The training model will be 80 per cent practical and 20 per cent theoretical, with certified trainers and strong industry linkages through internships.