FG Urges States to Boost Education Investment as 5,000 Out-of-School Children Targeted for Reintegration

(Prof. Suwaiba. Photo Credit; Kano Focus)

In order to guarantee that every Nigerian kid has access to a high-quality education, the Federal Government has urged state governments to make use of their enhanced financial resources.

It emphasizes that more financing should result in more investment in the education sector.

Prof. Suwaiba Said Ahmad, the State Minister for Education, made the announcement to reporters following an inspection of schools in Jigawa State's Ringim Local Government Area during National Learning Assessment Week.

Prof. Ahmad urged state governments to prioritize education in their development plan, stating that they now have greater financial capacity to create favorable learning settings and address the issue of out-of-school children.

"You have better funding to ensure that every child has access to a better education," the minister said, adding that the Federal Government is still committed to assisting states in improving access to quality education.

She announced that the Federal Government has finished preparations to reintegrate 5,000 out-of-school children into formal education in Jigawa State as part of efforts to minimize school exclusion and improve access to basic education across the country.

According to the minister, the National Learning Assessment was created to provide a consistent national framework for evaluating students' academic achievement at important stages of learning and to improve educational results across the country.

She clarified that earlier evaluations were carried out independently by the federal and state governments, pointing out that the new strategy would offer a coordinated and thorough evaluation system nationwide.

Prof. Ahmad was pleased with the Jigawa State Government's arrangements and the way the current end-of-term exams were conducted in the schools he visited.

She urged state governments to step up efforts to reintegrate out-of-school youngsters into formal education and reaffirmed the federal government's commitment to fostering a supportive learning environment.

The minister emphasized that in order to provide inclusive and equitable education for all Nigerian children, cooperation between the federal and state governments is still essential.