The Federal Government has adopted Kaduna State’s household mapping framework as a national strategy to address Nigeria’s out-of-school children crisis, following the model’s reported success in improving school enrolment and guiding targeted education interventions.
The decision was announced by the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, during a meeting with Kaduna State Governor Uba Sani in Abuja.
Governor Sani described the adoption as a major endorsement of Kaduna State’s data-driven approach to education planning, noting that the household mapping initiative has significantly reduced the number of out-of-school children in the state.
According to him, the number of children outside the school system has dropped from approximately 550,000 to fewer than 180,000, largely due to the state’s ability to accurately identify vulnerable households and implement targeted interventions.
He explained that the household mapping model provides reliable data that enables government agencies to identify children who are not enrolled in school, understand the barriers preventing access to education and deploy resources where they are most needed.
The governor said the approach has strengthened enrolment and retention by allowing authorities to design programmes tailored to the specific needs of communities and families.
He noted that the Federal Government’s decision to replicate the framework across the country demonstrates growing confidence in Kaduna State’s evidence-based governance model and its effectiveness in improving education outcomes.
Sani also expressed the state’s readiness to work closely with the Federal Ministry of Education and other stakeholders to support the nationwide implementation of the initiative.
He said the adoption of the model has the potential to improve access to education across Nigeria, strengthen education planning and significantly reduce the number of out-of-school children through better targeting of government interventions.
Reaffirming his administration’s commitment to education, the governor stressed that reliable data, strategic partnerships and focused investments remain essential to achieving sustainable improvements in school enrolment, retention and overall learning outcomes.
