In a strategic move to improve basic education and reduce the alarming number of out-of-school children, the Kaduna State Government has announced plans to train 8,700 members of School-Based Management Committees (SBMCs) across the state.
The initiative, spearheaded by the Kaduna State Universal Basic Education Board (KADSUBEB) in partnership with UNICEF and the Reaching Out-of-School Children (ROOSC) project, commenced with a six-day workshop for 92 Social Mobilisation Officers (SMOs) from the state’s 23 Local Government Areas.
According to Mubarak Muhammad, Acting Executive Chairman of KADSUBEB, the 92 SMOs will serve as master trainers, cascading the knowledge and skills gained during the workshop to thousands of SBMC members in their respective communities.
“This training is designed to strengthen the link between government and communities,” Mr. Muhammad explained. “It focuses on equipping SBMC members with leadership, communication, and resource mobilisation skills to support the education system at the grassroots level.”
The training also aims to empower school officials to effectively mobilise children back to classrooms and address the challenges contributing to school dropouts.
UNICEF Education Officer in Kaduna, Bala Dada, emphasized the urgency of the initiative, noting that approximately 768,000 children of school age in Kaduna are currently not enrolled in formal education, according to the 2022 Kaduna Bureau of Statistics (KDBS) survey.
“With the ROOSC project, we are targeting the reintegration of at least 200,000 out-of-school children,” Dada said. “This can only be achieved through collaborative efforts, leveraging both community structures and government support to address barriers such as poverty, insecurity, and lack of awareness.”
Dada reiterated the importance of SBMCs as vital community organs in enhancing school enrolment, retention, and transition, and in improving the overall management of basic education.
The Kaduna State Government, under Governor Uba Sani’s leadership, has reaffirmed its commitment to investing in human capital development and creating a more inclusive and accessible education system for all children.
EduTimes Africa, a product of Education Times Africa, is a magazine publication that aims to lend its support to close the yawning gap in Africa's educational development.
