FG launches fresh nationwide survey to determine out-of-school children figure

The minister also revealed that the number of Nigerian universities ranked among the world’s top 1,000 institutions has increased from 21 to 24, with public universities occupying the country’s top four positions.

The summit, themed “Three Years of the Tinubu Administration: Assessing Reforms, Progress and Challenges in Nigeria’s Education Sector,” brought together government officials, education stakeholders and journalists to review developments in the sector.

Also addressing participants, the Minister of State for Education, Prof Suwaiba Ahmad, called on journalists to promote ongoing reforms through fair, balanced and responsible reporting.

She described education as a critical driver of economic growth, democratic development, poverty reduction and national cohesion.

The Executive Secretary of the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), Dr Aisha Garba, reiterated the commission’s commitment to ensuring that every Nigerian child has access to quality basic education regardless of social or geographical background.

She stressed that no child should be denied educational opportunities because of location, income level or other circumstances.

The Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), FCT Council, Grace Ike, urged the media to continue promoting transparency and public awareness on education issues, while calling for stronger collaboration among government, parents, school administrators, policymakers and journalists to address the sector’s challenges.

Similarly, the Special Adviser to the Minister of Education on Media and Communication, Ikharo Attah, advocated fact-based journalism, emphasising that education reporting should be guided by verified information rather than speculation.

Earlier, ECAN Chairman, Chuks Ukwauta, said the annual summit was convened to assess the reforms, achievements and outstanding challenges in Nigeria’s education sector under the current administration.

Nigeria continues to have one of the largest populations of out-of-school children globally, with factors such as poverty, insecurity, child labour, early marriage, inadequate school infrastructure and limited access to quality education contributing to the persistent challenge, particularly in rural and underserved communities.