From Shuaibu Ibrahim Gusau
The Zamfara State Universal Basic Education Board (ZSUBEB), under the leadership of Professor Nasir Garba Anka, Makaman Sokoto South and Modibbo Gamji, has launched the 2026 Enrolment Drive Campaign for Out-of-School Children (OOSC), with a renewed commitment to ensuring that every school-age child in the state has access to basic education.
Speaking during the campaign, the Executive Chairman of ZSUBEB, Professor Nasir Garba Anka, said the issue of out-of-school children remains a major challenge that requires the collective responsibility of government, parents, traditional institutions, communities, teachers, development partners and other education stakeholders.
He stressed the need to move beyond identifying out-of-school children to ensuring their actual enrolment, retention and meaningful learning.
Professor Anka disclosed that the OOSC registration and mapping exercise, supported by UNICEF and implemented in collaboration with ZSUBEB and other stakeholders, identified 453,602 out-of-school children across the 14 Local Government Areas of Zamfara State during the 2024–2025 period.
He noted that 432,319 children, representing 95.3 per cent, reside in rural communities, while 21,283 children, representing 4.7 per cent, are located in urban areas.
The Executive Chairman explained that the data provides a clearer understanding of where out-of-school children are located and where interventions are most urgently required.
He appreciated UNICEF, UBEC and other development partners for their technical and financial support towards strengthening the identification, registration, mapping and evidence-based planning for out-of-school children in Zamfara State.
He further called for increased attention to rural communities, where the majority of out-of-school children are located, stressing the need to provide safe schools within reasonable distances, adequate infrastructure, qualified teachers, learning materials, WASH facilities and effective community mobilisation.
He also urged parents and guardians to take responsibility for ensuring that their children are enrolled and remain in school.
The campaign featured goodwill messages from prominent education and community stakeholders.
The Emir of Anka was represented by the Magajin Rafin Anka, Ahmad Anka, while the Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Hon. Abdulmalik Gajam, was represented by the Director of Basic Education, Kabiru Dankiwo Yan Ware.
The UBEC State Coordinator, Tanimu Abdulkadir, also delivered a goodwill message, while UNICEF was represented by Professor Rabi’atu Musa Talata Mafara.
The stakeholders commended ZSUBEB for the initiative and reaffirmed their commitment to supporting efforts aimed at reducing the number of out-of-school children in the state.
They emphasised the importance of collaboration among traditional rulers, community leaders, parents, teachers, School-Based Management Committees (SBMCs) and development partners to ensure that identified children are successfully enrolled and retained in school.
In his closing remarks, the Director of Social Mobilisation, ZSUBEB, Alhaji Sani Usman Gummi, expressed appreciation to the Zamfara State Government under the leadership of Governor Dauda Lawal, the Rescue Commander, as well as UBEC, UNICEF, traditional rulers, community leaders, teachers, parents and the media for their support towards the success of the campaign.
He urged stakeholders to take the message back to their respective communities and transform awareness into concrete action.
Alhaji Sani Usman Gummi reaffirmed the Board’s commitment to ensuring that no child in Zamfara State is left behind in education.
He called on all stakeholders to work together to “find every child, reach every child, enrol every child and keep every child in school,” stressing that every number represents a child, and every child represents a future.