The Federal Government has adopted Kaduna State’s household mapping model as the national framework for identifying out-of-school children, marking a significant shift from estimate-based planning to verified data in tackling Nigeria’s education access crisis.
Education Minister Dr Tunji Alausa announced that the model would be implemented across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory through a partnership between the Federal Ministry of Education and the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).
The nationwide household mapping exercise is designed to determine the exact number of out-of-school children, where they live and the households they belong to. The government said the verified data would enable targeted interventions to improve school enrolment and retention.
Alausa unveiled the policy during a meeting with Kaduna State Governor Senator Uba Sani, describing it as a major step towards solving one of Nigeria’s biggest education challenges.
He said the government was moving away from years of relying on broad estimates that often failed to accurately reflect the scale and location of out-of-school children.
“Planning has largely been based on projections that could not accurately show where out-of-school children were located. This exercise changes that by providing verified information that will guide policy decisions and ensure interventions reach the children who need them most,” the minister said.
He pointed to Kaduna State as proof of the model’s effectiveness, noting that while previous estimates placed the state’s out-of-school population at about 585,000, the household mapping exercise revealed the actual figure to be fewer than 200,000.
“With this exercise, we now know where these children are and the households they belong to. That gives us the opportunity to work closely with the Kaduna State Government to bring them back to school,” Alausa added.
The minister praised Governor Uba Sani for pioneering the initiative, saying it had provided a more accurate picture of the challenge and demonstrated how reliable data could improve education planning and service delivery.
He disclosed that the Federal Ministry of Education had already begun working with the NBS to replicate the Kaduna model nationwide.
According to him, the exercise will provide reliable data to strengthen planning, improve resource allocation and monitor progress in reducing the number of out-of-school children across Nigeria.
Alausa reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to ensuring no child is left behind, adding that the initiative aligns with the Renewed Hope Agenda by strengthening collaboration between the Federal Government, state governments and development partners to identify, enrol and retain more children in school.
Governor Uba Sani commended the Minister of Education and the Minister of State for Education for driving reforms in the sector, describing their leadership as inspiring.
He also praised President Bola Tinubu for prioritising education, saying the Federal Government’s commitment had created momentum for meaningful reforms nationwide.
The governor reaffirmed Kaduna State’s commitment to working with the Federal Ministry of Education to expand access to quality education and welcomed the adoption of the state’s household mapping initiative as the national model.
