Jigawa Targets School Dropouts As 1,000 Children Set To Return To Class

The Jigawa State Government is stepping up efforts to tackle the out-of-school children crisis, with another 1,000 children set to return to classrooms in Jahun Local Government Area.

The latest intervention is being driven by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Security Matters, Usman Muhammad, who has joined Governor Umar Namadi’s campaign to ensure every child has access to education.

The first phase of the initiative has already seen 250 out-of-school children re-enrolled in primary schools across Ruwandawa, Dogawa, Kwanjamawa and Yar Jigawa communities.

The children also received free school uniforms, school bags, exercise books and other learning materials to encourage them to remain in school.

Speaking during the distribution at Ruwandawa Primary School, Usman Muhammad said his target is to support 1,000 children with educational materials and ensure they stay in school.

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He said parents are also being sensitised on the importance of education, while a monitoring system has been put in place to track attendance and learning.

The initiative aligns with Governor Umar Namadi’s education reforms aimed at reducing the number of out-of-school children across Jigawa State.

The administration has recruited more than 7,000 teachers, expanded the school feeding programme to cover Primary One to Six, introduced free uniforms and free education policies, improved classrooms and learning facilities, and mobilised communities through mothers’ groups and traditional institutions to boost school enrolment and retention.

The Local Education Secretary for Jahun, Jummai Bala, described the intervention as timely, noting that Jahun is among the local government areas with a high number of out-of-school children.

She said the campaign complements government efforts to ensure every child returns to the classroom.

For the Headmaster of Ruwandawa Primary School, Malam Auwal Ibrahim, the results are already visible.

He said sustained engagement with parents has encouraged more families to keep their children in school, with many pupils now progressing to secondary education.

Traditional leaders have also thrown their weight behind the campaign.

The District Head of Jahun, Alhaji Balarabe Ahmad, said addressing the out-of-school children challenge requires a united effort from government, communities, parents and development partners.

As Northern Nigeria continues to grapple with one of the country’s highest out-of-school populations, initiatives like this highlight the growing commitment to ensuring that every child is given the chance to learn, develop and contribute meaningfully to national development.