From Femi Oyelola in Kaduna
Global partners involved in the Reaching Out-of-School Children (ROOSC) project have expressed satisfaction with the progress recorded in Kaduna State.
The commendation followed a joint supervision mission and site visits to new construction and renovation projects aimed at re-enrolling 100,000 children in school within four years.
The Project Coordinator for ROOSC in Kaduna State, Ezra Angai, said partners from across the world gathered in the state to oversee implementation, evaluate progress, ask questions, and address emerging challenges.
During the field visits, Angai noted that the programme featured sessions and presentations on project implementation, describing the engagement among partners as “very robust.”
He explained that the Islamic Development Bank sent a large delegation, while the Global Partnership for Education, Save the Children International, and UNICEF participated physically.
The Federal Ministry of Education and the Federal Ministry of Finance, through the International Economic Relations Department, also sent sizable delegations.
According to him, the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development and Education Above All joined virtually, with some partners remaining connected online during site visits to monitor developments in real time.
Angai added that the mission was inaugurated by the Commissioner for Education, who reaffirmed the Kaduna State Government’s commitment under Governor Uba Sani to ensure that education reforms translate into tangible benefits for citizens.
At Kwana Bishara in Rigasa, one of the construction sites, the team inspected an ongoing primary school project comprising nine classrooms—one block of three classrooms and a two-storey building with six classrooms—along with an administrative block, sanitation facilities, and toilets.
He noted that the project was initiated by the community through a formal request, which has now materialised. He added that community members present at the site expressed appreciation for the intervention.
“We are happy and grateful, first to the Kaduna State Government and to all our partners who have demonstrated strong commitment to this project,” Angai said, reaffirming the Project Management Unit’s resolve to complete the project on schedule and within scope.
Jawara Gaye, Lead Education Specialist at the Islamic Development Bank, also expressed satisfaction with the progress made in advancing enrolment, retention, and quality education for out-of-school children.
“I think it is working,” he said.
Gaye observed that the first school visited had a significant number of pupils in attendance, with teachers supported by implementing partners, including Save the Children and UNICEF.
He commended the enthusiasm of communities where schools previously did not exist.
He emphasised the importance of ongoing civil works and thanked stakeholders, particularly communities, for mobilising children to attend school. He also praised the Kaduna State Government for creating an enabling environment for development partners.
Dorian Gay of the Global Partnership for Education described his participation in the supervision mission as an honour, noting that the ROOSC project is supported by multiple stakeholders and donors but implemented by the Kaduna State Government.
He said the team inspected a primary school, a construction site for a six-classroom block with water and sanitation facilities, and renovation works at Maichibi, where six additional classrooms are being added to the existing eight.
Gay noted that the school currently accommodates about 550 pupils across eight classrooms—approximately 70 per class—and expressed optimism that the ongoing expansion would reduce class sizes to about 40 pupils.
He said improving the pupil-teacher ratio would enhance learning outcomes and enable teachers to deliver higher-quality education.
Gay highlighted the Kaduna State Government’s proactive approach to education reform and acknowledged the scale of the out-of-school children challenge, including among Almajiri children and girls.
He added that partners are supporting the initiative through infrastructure development, teacher training, provision of learning materials, and curriculum improvement, stressing that community engagement remains critical, given the role of poverty in limiting school attendance.
Deputy Project Coordinator, Hassan Abdul, said the team visited Maichibi 1 to assess renovation works, noting that contractors are ahead of schedule and expressing confidence in timely delivery.
Jane Mbagi Mutua, Deputy Country Director of Save the Children International, said the team visited both new and ongoing school projects, as well as initiatives integrating children into formal education.
“Great work is ongoing,” she said.
Mutua described the intervention as significant, though still insufficient compared to the scale of the problem, noting that while the project targets 100,000 children, nearly 200,000 have been identified as out of school.
She expressed optimism that the project would be completed by September, enabling more children to enrol.
She urged communities to prioritise education, describing it as a vital form of protection and empowerment for children.
Vanessa Lee, Chief of Education at UNICEF Nigeria, said the organisation was pleased to be part of the ROOSC programme, noting that its support focuses on strengthening education systems.
This includes improving enrolment processes, enhancing teacher capacity, supporting School-Based Management Committees, and developing a digital system to track school attendance.
She added that UNICEF is collaborating with the state Ministry of Education on planning and financing to ensure effective service delivery.
Community leader, Muhammad Kabir Usman of Kwana Bishara, Rigasa, described the project as impactful and expressed appreciation to Governor Uba Sani and development partners.
He noted that children previously travelled between three and five kilometres to attend school, but the new facility would ease that burden.
“I have never seen a project like this in my lifetime,” he said, expressing pride in witnessing its execution.
