Stakeholders laud Kaduna’s ROOSC model as FG unveils new education reforms

From Femi Oyelola, Kaduna

Stakeholders at a national education forum in Kaduna have commended the Kaduna State Government for its Reaching Out-of-School Children (ROOSC) project, describing it as a scalable blueprint for tackling the challenges of Almajiri and out-of-school children across Nigeria.

The commendation was delivered during the National Education Sector Renewal Initiative (NESRI) advocacy and stakeholder engagement session, where federal officials, civil society groups, traditional rulers, and Islamic scholars met to discuss strategies for integrating vulnerable children into the formal learning system.

Dr. Balarabe Shehu Kakale, Special Adviser to the Minister of Education on Almajiri and Out-of-School Children, announced new federal reforms designed to ensure every Nigerian child returns to school equipped with practical skills.

Our correspondent reports that the federal initiative focuses on foundational literacy, numeracy, vocational and technical education, digital literacy, and civic education.

Dr. Kakale highlighted Kaduna’s ROOSC model as a baseline for nationwide replication and urged other states to adapt the National Commission for Almajiri and Out-of-School Children Education Act to fit local needs.

Kakale revealed that the Federal Government is deploying the Nigerian Education Data Infrastructure to track enrollment and academic progress using verified internal data rather than third-party estimates.

Also, Mr. Ezra Angai, Project Coordinator for the Kaduna ROOSC initiative, outlined the state’s data-driven approach.

“Out of 187,912 out-of-school children identified across Kaduna’s 23 local government areas, over 25,000 have already been re-enrolled, with an ultimate target of reintegrating 100,000 children into formal and alternative learning frameworks.

“Tsangaya Integration- The project has established Accelerated Basic Education Centers and partnered with 25 Tsangaya schools serving 6,326 learners, with plans to scale to 50 additional schools.

“Infrastructure upgrades span 272 schools (including 102 new constructions), alongside the distribution of over 40,000 learning materials, uniforms, and psychosocial support.

“Additionally, assistive devices have been provided to more than 2,000 children with disabilities across nine LGAs,” he stated .

The initiative is supported by the Islamic Development Bank, the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development, the Global Partnership for Education, Education Above All, Save the Children International, and UNICEF.

Representing the Executive Secretary of the National Commission for Almajiri and Out-of-School Children Education, Malam Halliru Musa Halliru stated that the commission has developed a 10-year strategic plan (2025–2035), established 119 learning centers nationwide, and mapped over 700,000 out-of-school children for targeted interventions.

Furthermore, Kaduna State Commissioner for Education, Prof. Abubakar Sani Sambo, noted that poverty remains the primary driver pushing children out of school, particularly in rural and peri-urban communities, affirming the state’s commitment to sustaining anti-poverty and educational access programs.