Bauchi State has recorded a significant reduction in the number of out-of- school children through increased investment in educational infrastructure and sustained support from development partners, particularly the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC).
The disclosure was made by the Executive Chairman of the Bauchi State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Abubakar Isa Baba, during an inception meeting on improving Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) services in schools through the 5-Star Approach, held on Saturday with support from UNICEF.
Represented by his Senior Special Assistant, Abubakar Mansur Abdu, the Executive Chairman acknowledged the contributions of UNICEF and other development partners toward improving the quality and accessibility of basic education in the state.
The SUBEB boss said that basic education remains the foundation of the educational system, stressing that addressing challenges at that level is critical to achieving sustainable improvements across the sector.
According to him, "The initiative by UNICEF is aimed at addressing some of the critical challenges and grey areas affecting the effective delivery of education at the basic education level. When we get things right at this level, particularly within the basic education subsector, we would have achieved almost 70 per cent of our educational development goals."
He added, "This is because the foundation of education is extremely important, as it provides the basis for the future growth and development of every child. I strongly believe that UNICEF has remained a dependable partner in this regard."
"The organisation has consistently supported the effective implementation of basic education programmes across Nigeria, particularly in Bauchi State, where several of its initiatives have been successfully introduced and implemented," he added.
The Executive Chairman noted, "We are also grateful for the support we continue to receive from the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), Abuja, particularly in addressing critical areas such as educational infrastructure, Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) facilities, and environmental development."
According to him, "Through these interventions, we have embarked on the construction of toilet facilities, the provision of conducive classrooms for both boys and girls, and the fencing of schools to strengthen security and ensure the safety of our children."
Abubakar Isa Baba further stated, "Similarly, we have introduced tree-planting initiatives and revitalised the culture of school gardening and sports development. These efforts are already yielding positive results, as our pupils continue to participate in national basic education competitions. It is worth mentioning that Bauchi State recently had the honour of hosting one of these national competitions."
"All these achievements have been made possible through the support and collaboration of our development partners, who are committed to making basic education more accessible, friendly and conducive for children. Our objective is to ensure that pupils feel safe, comfortable and encouraged to remain in school," he added.
He said, "These interventions have also contributed significantly to addressing the challenges of out-of-school children and improving the transition of pupils from primary to junior secondary education."
According to him, "A review of previous data clearly indicates remarkable progress in this direction. We therefore appreciate the commitment of the government, the Governor of Bauchi State, Senator Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed, whose administration has continued to provide the necessary support to improve educational outcomes."
He noted, "Within a relatively short period, we have recorded a significant reduction in the number of out-of-school children while expanding access to education through the provision of essential infrastructure to accommodate the growing demand for educational services in the state."
He stressed, "The narrative is gradually changing, and these achievements demonstrate what can be accomplished through strong political commitment, effective partnerships and sustained investment in basic education."
Goodwill messages were also delivered by various civil society organisations (CSOs) and partners who participated in the meeting held at the Education Resource Centre (ERC), Bauchi.