Tinubu promises to tackle Nigeria’s out-of-school crisis

President Bola Tinubu on Thursday reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to prioritising education for Nigerian children, pledging to reduce the country’s out-of-school population through innovative initiatives.

Speaking during a dialogue with French President Emmanuel Macron at the Palais des Élysée in France, Tinubu outlined plans to reintroduce school-age children to classrooms via return-to-class initiatives and skills development programmes.

He emphasised the importance of motivation and skill acquisition as part of the government’s strategy to address the educational crisis.

Accompanied by the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, the President told Macron and First Lady Brigitte Macron that Nigeria’s developmental progress depends on building a well-educated populace.

This was detailed in a statement titled “President Tinubu Commits to Returning Out-of-School Children to Classrooms While Equipping Them for the Future,” issued by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Mr Bayo Onanuga.

“In order to bridge the gap for those who are older and have been out of school for a while, we will encourage skills development,” Tinubu said. He noted that insecurity in parts of the country has hindered school attendance but added,

“We are gradually re-populating classrooms, and we need skills development to bridge the gaps.”

He also spoke about the progress being made in enhancing security across Nigeria, employing “kinetic” strategies to foster peace.

“With some more effort, we will achieve greater stability. We had a very good harvest this year, and as more farmers return to the fields, we expect increased stability in harvests and food supply,” Tinubu added.

He concluded, “No child should go to bed hungry in the 21st century.”

French President Emmanuel Macron acknowledged Nigeria’s growth potential and the importance of investing in education. He recalled his own formative experiences during a six-month internship at the French Embassy in Nigeria, where he visited Lagos and Kano states. Macron and his wife expressed gratitude to President Tinubu and Senator Oluremi Tinubu for the state visit and pledged to strengthen France-Nigeria relations.

Nigeria currently faces an educational crisis, with an estimated 18.3 million children out of school, according to a May 2024 UNICEF report. This makes Nigeria one of the countries with the highest out-of-school populations globally.

The challenge is particularly acute in the North, where states such as Kano, Kebbi, Sokoto, and Yobe report out-of-school rates exceeding 60 per cent. Contributing factors include inadequate educational infrastructure, cultural norms, economic hardship, and insecurity.

Additionally, terrorist attacks on schools and frequent student kidnappings have forced the closure of many schools, further disrupting access to education.