Bauchi At 50: Bala Cuts Out-Of-School Children by Over 800,000 In 6 Years

From Paul Orude, Bauchi

Bauchi State Government says the number of out-of-school children in the state has dropped from about 1.3 million to 500,000, a milestone achievement in the education sector.

Governor Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed disclosed this on Tuesday in a statewide broadcast marking the 50th anniversary of the creation of Bauchi State.

Governor Mohammed described it as a major step toward improving human capital and securing the state’s future.

He said the reduction was achieved through sustained reforms targeting vulnerable groups, including Almajirai, girls, children in rural communities, nomadic populations, and those affected by conflict or displacement.

The governor revealed that key interventions included the World Bank-supported Better Education Service Delivery for All (BESDA) programme, expanded enrolment and retention drives for girls, and the gradual integration of Tsangaya schools into the formal education system.

To further support learning, the state government invested heavily in education infrastructure, constructing, or rehabilitating over 8,000 classrooms, providing teaching aids, recruiting additional teachers, and implementing the World Bank-supported AGILE education project.

Governor Mohammed acknowledged that challenges remain, including a high teacher-to-student ratio of 1:80 and pressure from rapid population growth.

He noted that in 2019/2020, only 2,376 pupils were enrolled in Special Needs Education, and vulnerable children such as orphans, internally displaced persons, and children with disabilities remained at risk of dropping out.

He stressed that sustaining these gains is critical as over half of Bauchi’s population is under the age of 15, emphasizing that education remains a cornerstone for the state’s long-term development beyond its golden jubilee.