DIPLOMAN TIMES

Governor Namadi stated that reducing the number of out-of-school children requires coordinated action involving government institutions, parents, traditional leaders and local communities rather than isolated education interventions. He disclosed that the issue has been elevated to the State Executive Council, where ministries, departments and agencies are assigned measurable targets for increasing school enrolment and retention, with implementation progress reviewed regularly during Executive Council and sectoral meetings. The Governor highlighted complementary initiatives including the Mothers' Forum, the Jigawa Lifelong Accelerated Learning (JILAL) Programme, integrated schools and the expansion of literacy and numeracy instruction to 130 Tsangaya schools serving more than 70,000 pupils, while preserving traditional Qur'anic education. He further explained that agricultural support is being provided to traditional Qur'anic teachers to strengthen programme sustainability and community participation.

The Country Director of Save the Children Nigeria commended the Jigawa State Government for its sustained partnership over the past decade and encouraged the administration to institutionalise successful interventions after donor-funded programmes conclude. He appealed for continued collaboration to strengthen learning outcomes, support children transitioning into formal education and attract additional investment into the state's education sector.

The engagement demonstrates the importance of sustained partnerships between state governments and development organisations in addressing complex education challenges. Reducing the number of out-of-school children requires coordinated interventions that extend beyond school construction or the distribution of learning materials to include community mobilisation, parental engagement, institutional coordination and long-term policy implementation. By integrating education planning into Executive Council oversight, the Jigawa State Government has positioned school enrolment and retention as cross-government priorities requiring accountability across multiple sectors.

The administration's emphasis on programmes such as the Mothers' Forum, JILAL and the integration of Tsangaya schools illustrates an approach that combines formal education policy with community-based participation and culturally responsive implementation. Rather than replacing existing traditional education structures, the government seeks to strengthen literacy and numeracy while preserving Qur'anic education, thereby promoting broader educational inclusion through locally adapted delivery models. The complementary support provided to traditional Qur'anic teachers also reflects recognition that sustainable education reforms depend upon improving the welfare of those responsible for delivering community-based learning.

The commitment to sustain donor-supported programmes after external funding concludes highlights the importance of institutional continuity in public policy. Development partnerships often generate significant improvements during implementation, but their long-term impact depends on governments assuming ownership of successful models through budgetary support, administrative integration and local capacity development. The Governor's commitment to maintaining these interventions therefore signals an effort to embed externally supported programmes within the state's permanent education system.

The engagement reinforces Jigawa State's strategy of treating human capital development as a long-term governance priority. By combining government leadership, community participation and international development partnerships, the administration is pursuing a comprehensive framework aimed at improving enrolment, strengthening learning outcomes and expanding educational opportunities for vulnerable children. The long-term effectiveness of this strategy will depend on sustained implementation, measurable improvements in school participation and continued collaboration among government institutions, communities and development partners.