As part of the concerted efforts to address problem of out of school children in Nigeria, the Humanitarian Foundation Initiative Tuesday declared that 111, 000 out of the estimated 18.3million out of school children nationwide, would be re – enrolled in school in September, 2026 at the commencement of 2026/ 2027 academic session.
The targeted 111, 000 children according to the Director – General of the Humanitarian Foundation, Comrade Adegoke Yinka, is the total number of targeted 3,000 children in each of the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.
Adegoke who made the disclosure to journalists in Abuja at press briefing, said required consultations have been made with relevant stakeholders on how to how get the children out of the streets to the classrooms .
Part of the stakeholders, according to him, were indigent parents who have no financial muscle of providing school uniforms, bags, shoes and books for their children and religious teachers who according to him, were ready to alternate their hours of teaching with that of the conventional schools in paving way for the famously called Almajiris to enrol in western schools.
“Education remains one of the most effective tools for breaking the cycle of poverty. Unfortunately, thousands of children across Nigeria are unable to attend school because their parents cannot afford uniforms, foot wear , school bag, writing materials or other basic educational necessities.
“Our long term vision is to support 3,000 vulnerable children in each of the 36 states of the federation and the federal capital territory , totalling 111,000 nationwide,” he said.
He added that through the initiative, every beneficiary, will get school uniform, school Sandals, bag, exercise books, pens and pencils and other essential learning materials free .
“The planned programme is part of Humanitarian Foundation Initiative for Less Privileged contribution to solving the problem of out of school children in Nigeria,” he stressed.