Kaduna Targets Zero Out-of-School Children as Uba Sani Returns Over 360,000 Pupils to Class

The Kaduna State Government says it is working to ensure that every child of school age gains access to basic education before Governor Uba Sani completes his tenure.

The Executive Chairman of the Kaduna State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Malam Mubarak Mohammed, disclosed this on Wednesday during the launch of the 2026/2027 School Enrollment Campaign at Sheikh Abubakar Gumi Market.

Mohammed said the administration considers basic education a right for children in Kaduna State, stressing that the government’s policy is aimed at removing barriers that keep children out of school.

“Education is a right in Kaduna State under the Governor Uba Sani administration. Basic education is free and it is not a privilege,” he said.

He expressed concern over the high number of out-of-school children across Northern Nigeria but said Kaduna had recorded progress under the current administration. According to him, more than 360,000 children have been brought back into the classroom, reducing the number of children previously estimated to be out of school in the state by more than 500,000.

The SUBEB chairman urged parents and guardians to enrol their children in school, describing education as a major pathway for children from disadvantaged backgrounds to improve their future prospects. He also disclosed that the board had constructed more than 2,000 classrooms to accommodate the growing number of pupils returning to school.

The 2026/2027 enrolment campaign included a road walk by government officials, education stakeholders and SUBEB staff from the Kaduna State Secretariat to Sheikh Abubakar Gumi Market. The campaign was designed to raise public awareness about the importance of basic education and encourage parents to enrol school-age children.

Five children presented themselves for enrolment during the advocacy exercise. Mohammed subsequently directed relevant officials to ensure that the children were enrolled in primary school.

The Kaduna government said the campaign forms part of its broader effort to tackle the out-of-school children challenge and expand access to basic education across the state.