UNICEF supports Benue out-of-school-children with 400 school-in-a-box kits, 2,000 exercise books to improve enrolment

From Uche Nnorom, Makurdi

United Nations Children’s Fund, UNICEF has provided 400 school-in-a-box kits each containing 42 essential teaching and learning materials sufficient for 40 learners and one teacher as well as 2,000 exercise books to facilitate enrolment and participation of identified out-of-school children in Benue State.

It is estimated that there over 16,000 out-of-school children in Benue State North Central Nigeria that has a population of over 2.5 million out-of-school-children

Speaking at the maiden edition of Benue State Education Summit held at the College of Health Sciences auditorium, Fr Moses Adasu University formerly Benue State University, BSU, UNICEF Nutrition Specialist and Officer-in-Chief of UNICEF

Enugu Field Office Mrs Ngozi Onoura on Friday, she stressed that UNICEF recognizes that education and nutrition are inseparable pillars of child development, maintaining that a child who is hungry cannot learn, a malnourished child cannot fully concentrate, retain knowledge, or thrive in school.

Represented by Mr Believe Oritsenemi Eke, Education Specialist, UNICEF Enugu Field Office, she said, “therefore, when we speak about out-of-school children in Benue State, we must also speak about the conditions that prevent children not only from enrolling but from staying and succeeding in school”.

Mr Onuora decried the high rate of internally displaced persons in the State citing the International Organization for Migration’s, IOM displacement tracking matrix, around (18 February 2026), that put the figure in Benue state at over 464,000 internally displaced persons across 15 formal camps in logo, Guma, Makurdi, Kwande, and Gwer west LGAs, as well as in informal settlements and host communities, noting that a significant proportion of these are children, facing disruption not only to their education, but also to their nutrition, protection, and overall well-being.

She said, “for children affected by displacement, schools must serve as more than learning spaces. They must be safe havens places where children receive knowledge, psychosocial support, and where possible, access to essential health and nutrition services. When education systems are overstretched, and when families are struggling to meet basic needs, children, especially girls are at heightened risk of dropping out permanently”.

She proposed that innovative strategies to address out-school-children must be multi-sectoral strengthening enrolment and retention which requires integration into school curriculum feeding, nutrition screening, water and sanitstion facilities and child protection services into education planning with evidence consistently showing that school-based nutrition Interventions improves attendance, concentration and completion rates.

She pledged that UNICEF remains a committed partner to the government of Benue state supporting through the establishment of temporary learning Intervention improved attendance, concentration and completion rates as well as teacher capacity building, the provision of essential learning materials, and continue to support learning continuity in emergency contexts.

“However, we must go further in ensuring that learning environments are not only accessible but supportive of children’s holistic development.

“The launch of the Brace-Up Project by the Benue state Universal Basic Education board is both timely and strategic. It offers an opportunity to combine strong data systems with community mobilization, targeted interventions, and sustained financing to bring children back to school and keep them there.

UNICEF CALLS FOR COLLECTIVE ACTION IN THE FOLLOWING PRIORITY AREAS: SYSTEMATIC IDENTIFICATION AND MAPPING OF OUT-OF-SCHOOL CHILDREN, PARTICULARLY IN DISPLACEMENT-AFFECTED COMMUNITIES, INTEGRATION OF LEARNERS FROM IDP CAMPS INTO HOST COMMUNITY SCHOOLS WITH ADEQUATE INFRASTRUCTURE AND SAFETY MEASURES,

EXPANSION OF TEMPORARY LEARNING SPACES WHERE FORMAL SCHOOLS ARE INACCESSIBLE, INTEGRATION OF NUTRITION-SENSITIVE PROGRAMMING, INCLUDING SCHOOL FEEDING AND NUTRITION SCREENING, TO SUPPORT RETENTION, PROVISION OF ADEQUATE LEARNING MATERIALS, TEACHER SUPPORT, AND PSYCHOSOCIAL SERVICES, STRENGTHENING SCHOOL-BASED PROTECTION MECHANISMS, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT TO PROMOTE ENROLMENT AND SUSTAINED ATTENDANCE, ESPECIALLY FOR GIRLS, SECURING PREDICTABLE AND SUSTAINABLE FINANCING FOR BOTH EMERGENCY RESPONSE AND LONG-TERM SYSTEM STRENGTHENING.

“NO CHILD SHOULD HAVE TO CHOOSE BETWEEN FOOD AND EDUCATION. NO CHILD SHOULD LOSE THEIR FUTURE BECAUSE THEY HAVE LOST THEIR HOME. IF WE ARE TO TRULY STRENGTHEN ENROLMENT AND RETENTION, WE MUST ADDRESS THE WHOLE CHILD MIND, BODY, AND PROTECTION. TOGETHER, THROUGH COORDINATED AND EVIDENCE-BASED ACTION, WE CAN ENSURE THAT EVERY CHILD IN BENUE STATE NOT ONLY GOES TO SCHOOL BUT STAYS, LEARNS, AND THRIVES”.

In his speech, Benue State Governor Rev Fr Hyacinth Alia appreciated UNICEF for their effort in supporting the State with additional school kits.