In a renewed push to address the growing number of out-of-school children in Gombe State, the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), in partnership with the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), held a one-day stakeholders’ engagement meeting on Monday to kick-start the 2025 Enrolment Drive Campaign.

Latest UNICEF and World Bank figures show that Nigeria has 13.5 million out-of-school children, with 787,619 from Gombe State alone.

Speaking at the event, the Chairman of Gombe SUBEB, Mr. Babaji Babadidi, explained that the meeting was designed to rally stakeholders and sensitize the public on the need for collective action to create an environment that would accelerate the reintegration of children back into classrooms.

He stated, “Each Local Government Area (LGA) has been given a target to enrol no fewer than 10,000 pupils for the 2025/2026 academic year, making a total of 110,000 pupils across the state.”

Babadidi added that the strategy was projected to cut the number of out-of-school children by half before 2030.

However, in her remarks, the State Commissioner for Education, Professor Aishatu Maigari, pushed for a more ambitious target. She suggested that each LGA should aim for 20,000 new enrolments, which would bring the total to 220,000 pupils statewide.

Also addressing participants, UNICEF Bauchi Field Office facilitator, Mohammed Kudi, underscored the significance of the campaign in tackling what he described as a worsening situation. He said the exercise was not just about bringing children back but also about ensuring they remain in school and complete their education.

Kudi highlighted the national context, noting, “Over 80.3 percent of children are out of school in Nigeria. In Gombe State, the initial figure was 500,000, but it has now risen to 737,000, representing 13 percent of the state’s population, which is alarming.”

The engagement drew participation from traditional rulers, religious leaders, teachers, and policymakers across the state, all pledging support for the campaign