Tackle Out-of-School Crisis, Expand Access to Quality Education, Gombe Governor Urges Northern Leaders

Gombe State Governor, Inuwa Yahaya, has called on political, traditional and community leaders in Northern Nigeria to take urgent and collective action to address the rising number of out-of-school children and expand access to quality basic education across the region.

Yahaya, who also chairs the Northern States Governors’ Forum (NSGF), made the call while speaking at a forum on leadership and good governance, where he described the education crisis in the North as one of the most pressing challenges confronting the region’s future. According to the governor, Nigeria currently has over 18 million out-of-school children, with a significant majority concentrated in the northern states. He warned that the situation poses serious risks to national development, social cohesion and security if left unaddressed. The issue of out-of-school children is not just an education problem; it is a development and security challenge,” Yahaya said. “We must, as leaders, make deliberate and sustained investments in basic education to secure the future of our region. He noted that several northern states continue to grapple with low literacy levels, poor school infrastructure, teacher shortages, insecurity and socio-economic barriers, all of which contribute to weak enrolment and high dropout rates, particularly among girls. The governor urged northern leaders to prioritise education in policy formulation and budgeting, while strengthening collaboration with the Federal Government, the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), development partners, donor agencies, and the private sector. He also stressed the importance of engaging parents, religious leaders and traditional institutions to change attitudes that hinder school enrolment. Yahaya highlighted steps taken by his administration in Gombe State as part of efforts to reverse the trend, including the declaration of a state of emergency on education, increased funding for school rehabilitation, teacher recruitment and training, and targeted programmes aimed at enrolling out-of-school children. He said improving access must go hand in hand with enhancing education quality, adding that investment in infrastructure, learning materials and teacher capacity is critical to achieving meaningful outcomes. The governor concluded by calling for a united regional approach, warning that failure to address the education gap could undermine economic growth and perpetuate poverty across Northern Nigeria. Education stakeholders have welcomed the call, noting that sustained political will and coordinated action are essential to reducing the out-of-school burden and securing a more prosperous future for the region.