Kaduna and UNICEF partner to educate 200,000 out-of-school children

The Kaduna State Government has partnered with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) for the Reaching Out-of-School Children (ROOSC) project, which aims to provide quality education to over 200,000 out-of-school children across the state.

At a signing ceremony held at Sir Kashim Ibrahim House in Kaduna on Friday, Deputy Governor Dr. Hadiza Balarabe announced the initiative. She stressed that the project was designed to provide access to quality education for all children, regardless of their circumstances.

“This project marks an important step in our shared commitment to ensuring that children in Kaduna State have access to quality education, regardless of their circumstances,” Balarabe said.

The Deputy Governor emphasized that the project specifically focuses on improving educational opportunities for girls, children with disabilities, and adolescents, with the aim of providing them with a path to a better future.

“Education is the foundation of a prosperous society, and its role in shaping the future of our country cannot be overstated,” he added.

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Balarabe also conveyed Governor Uba Sani’s appreciation, saying, “Our Governor, Senator Uba Sani, extends his heartfelt congratulations to our esteemed partners who made this historic event possible. He is greatly encouraged by your unwavering dedication to transforming the lives of underprivileged children in our state.”

The Deputy Governor expressed gratitude to UNICEF and other supporting partners, including the Islamic Development Bank, the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development, the Global Partnership for Education, Education Above All, and Save the Children International.

“We are committed to prioritizing education in our budget and deepening our partnerships with organizations like UNICEF to ensure every child has access to quality education,” he said.

Balarabe pointed out that the ROOSC project is in line with the state’s Education Sector Strategic Plan (2019-2029) and Sustainable Development Goal 4, which advocates for inclusive and equitable quality education.

“The ROOSC project directly addresses one of our biggest challenges, the high number of out-of-school children, most of whom are girls, children with disabilities, and adolescents. We are committed to maximizing the impact of our resources. This project will improve the efficiency of our education system through better management, robust data systems, and stronger accountability mechanisms,” Balarabe explained.

The project is expected to reintegrate more than 200,000 out-of-school children into the education system, with over 1.2 million primary school students benefiting from improved facilities and learning materials. In addition, over 36,000 key stakeholders, including teachers, principals, and local education authorities, will receive critical training and capacity building.

Balarabe concluded by expressing his sincere gratitude to UNICEF and other partners. “Your unwavering support and expertise will be instrumental in helping us achieve the ambitious goals set for this project. We also acknowledge and appreciate the generous contributions of our other partners—the Islamic Development Bank, the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development, the Global Partnership for Education, Education Above All, and Save the Children International. Your support underscores the power of international cooperation in addressing the global challenge of out-of-school children.”

He reiterated Kaduna State’s commitment to prioritizing education in its budget and strengthening partnerships with organizations such as UNICEF. “Our shared vision is to ensure that every child, regardless of gender, ability or background, has the opportunity to learn, grow and thrive,” he concluded.

Kaduna, UNICEF partner to educate 200,000 out-of-school children first appeared on Latest Nigeria News | Headlines from Ripples Nigeria.