FG to conduct nationwide survey to determine actual number of out-of-school children

The Federal Government has announced plans to conduct a comprehensive nationwide household survey to determine the actual number of out-of-school children in Nigeria, acknowledging that existing estimates no longer accurately reflect the situation.

Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, disclosed this on Wednesday at the 2026 Annual Education Summit of the Education Correspondents Association of Nigeria (ECAN) in Abuja.

He said the Federal Ministry of Education would partner with the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) to generate credible data that would guide education policies and interventions across the country.

According to the minister, the widely cited estimates of between 15 million and 20 million out-of-school children require updating, stressing that the government is committed to replacing assumptions with reliable, evidence-based statistics.

Alausa explained that the nationwide survey would provide a clearer picture of the scale and distribution of the problem, enabling authorities to design targeted programmes to improve access to education.

He revealed that the government had returned more than one million out-of-school children to classrooms over the past two years but emphasised that accurate data remained essential for measuring progress and addressing the challenge effectively.

The minister said President Bola Tinubu’s administration was committed to evidence-based policymaking, adding that reliable data would empower both citizens and the media to hold public officials accountable.

He urged journalists to move beyond routine event coverage by embracing investigative reporting that identifies gaps in the education sector and monitors government performance through verifiable facts.

Alausa also highlighted key reforms under the Renewed Hope Agenda, including Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), digital transformation, quality assurance, improved education governance, and expanded access to education.

He further disclosed that Nigeria has now recorded three consecutive years without disruption of academic activities in universities, polytechnics and colleges of education, attributing the achievement to sustained engagement with tertiary institution unions.

According to him, Nigeria also now has 24 universities ranked among the world’s top 1,000 institutions, up from 21 previously, with public universities occupying the country’s top four positions.

Speaking at the summit, Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Ahmad, urged journalists to support ongoing reforms through balanced and responsible reporting.

Also speaking, the Executive Secretary of the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), Aisha Garba, reaffirmed the commission’s commitment to ensuring that every Nigerian child, regardless of background or location, has access to quality basic education.

The Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), FCT Council, Grace Ike, called for greater collaboration among government, parents, educators, policymakers and the media to address challenges facing the education sector.

Earlier, ECAN Chairman, Chuks Ukwauta, identified inadequate funding, poor infrastructure, teacher development, weak learning outcomes and the rising number of out-of-school children as critical issues requiring urgent attention.