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

On Thursday, President Bola Tinubu reiterated his administration's dedication to making education a top priority for Nigerian children and promised to use creative measures to lower the number of out-of-school children in the nation.

During a conversation with French President Emmanuel Macron at the Palais des Élysée in France, Tinubu presented strategies for reintroducing school-age children to the classroom through skills development programs and return-to-class efforts.

As part of the government's plan to overcome the educational crisis, he stressed the need of skill development and motivation.

The President informed Macron and First Lady Brigitte Macron, accompanied by First Lady Senator Oluremi Tinubu, that the growth of a well-educated citizenry is essential to Nigeria's progress.

This was explained in a statement released by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Mr. Bayo Onanuga, with the headline "President Tinubu Commits to Returning Out-of-School Children to Classrooms While Equipping Them for the Future."

Tinubu stated that "we will encourage skills development to bridge the gap for those who are older and have been out of school for a while." He acknowledged that school attendance has been hampered by instability in some areas of the nation, but added,

"We need skills development to fill the gaps as we gradually repopulate classrooms."

He also discussed how "kinetic" tactics are being used to promote peace and the advancements being made in improving security throughout Nigeria.

"We will get more steadiness if we put in a little more work. This harvest was excellent, 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.
Access to education has also been further disrupted by the shutdown of numerous schools due to terrorist attacks and frequent kidnappings of students.