The Bauchi State Government has said that the state has recorded giant stride in the educational sector as there is a drastic reduction in the number of out-of-school children in the state, bringing the total figure down to 521,000 from the previous figure of 1.5 million.

The disclosure was made by the Commissioner of Education, Dr Jamila Dahiru while presenting the achievements of the Ministry during the 2024 Ministerial Press Briefing held on Tuesday at the Conference Hall of the State Secretariat.

The Commissioner stated that the reduction was due to the various strategies employed by the government through the Ministry and SUBEB to ensure that all out-of-school children were mobilised to schools.

According to her, “I stand before you today filled with immense pride and optimism for the future of education in our beloved state. We are fortunate to be part of a nation where the current educational system provides a strong foundation for learning and development.”

“Within Bauchi State, our active efforts are geared towards translating the educational framework into tangible outcomes for every child. Currently, the basic foundation of education in the state falls under the purview of the Ministry of Education, which includes six departments, agencies, and boards (the State Universal Basic Education Board, Special Schools Board, and Library Board, as well as the State Agencies for Mass and Nomadic Education).”

Jamila Dahiru said “The Ministry of Education, along with the Special Schools Board and State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), oversees a network of 3,854 primary schools, 1,038 junior secondary schools, and 450 senior secondary schools, totaling 5,342 schools.

“We also collaborate closely with 1,463 registered private schools in the state. The Ministry also manages a total of 1,356 nomadic schools and non-formal centres, married women’s schools, and Islamic Quranic and Tsangaya schools through the Bauchi State Agency for Mass Education (BASAME) and the Bauchi State Agency for Nomadic Education (BASANE).”

“Insights from the last Annual School Census (ASC) reveal that the public primary school sector boasts a total enrollment of 1,808,256, with girls constituting 48% of this number. Approximately 1,470,625 constitute pre-primary and primary school enrollment, 216,326 for junior secondary schools, and 121,305 for senior secondary schools,” she disclosed.

“Our technical secondary schools’ enrollment stands at 3,886, while 113,937 is recorded as the enrollment of our non-formal centres and the existing Islamic and Quranic Tsangaya schools. Similarly, private schools contribute a total of 228,030 to our student enrollment.”

“Therefore, cumulatively, Bauchi State has approximately 2,154,109 total enrollments of pupils and students at the Basic and Post-Basic levels across both public and private, formal and non-formal schools and centres.”

“Under the visionary leadership spearheaded by our very own governor, Senator (Dr.) Bala Mohammed Abdulkadir, we are committed to continuing to change our narrative until we claim the best in the country. He has provided us with strong political will, unwavering commitment, and visionary leadership and guidance. His declaration of a state of emergency in the education sector has yielded various transformative initiatives, exemplified by his strategic actions,” she said.