The Federal Government has adopted Kaduna State’s household mapping model as the national framework for identifying out-of-school children, marking a major shift from estimate-based planning to data-driven interventions across the country.

Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Olatunji Alausa, announced the decision during a meeting with Kaduna State Governor, Senator Uba Sani, saying the new approach would be implemented in all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.

According to the minister, the Federal Ministry of Education, in collaboration with the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), will undertake a nationwide household mapping exercise to determine the exact number of out-of-school children, identify where they live and the households they belong to.

He said the initiative would provide reliable data to guide government policies, improve resource allocation and ensure interventions are directed at children who need them most.

Alausa noted that previous estimates placed the number of out-of-school children in Kaduna State at about 585,000, but the state’s household mapping exercise revealed the actual figure to be fewer than 200,000.

He described the exercise as evidence of how accurate data can transform education planning, saying the Federal Government would work with Kaduna State to return identified children to school while replicating the model nationwide.

The minister commended Governor Uba Sani for pioneering the initiative, describing it as a practical solution that offers a clearer understanding of the out-of-school challenge and strengthens service delivery in the education sector.

He expressed confidence that the nationwide mapping exercise would enable governments at all levels to plan more effectively, deploy resources efficiently and monitor progress in reducing the number of out-of-school children.

Speaking at the meeting, Governor Uba Sani praised the education reforms being championed by the Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa, and the Minister of State for Education, saying their leadership had inspired greater commitment among state governments.

The governor also commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for prioritising education, noting that the Federal Government’s support had created momentum for meaningful reforms nationwide.

Uba Sani reaffirmed Kaduna State’s commitment to working with the Federal Ministry ofEducation to expand access to quality education and expressed satisfaction that the state’s household mapping initiative had been adopted as the national model.

Alausa assured Nigerians that no child would be left behind, saying the nationwide exercise would provide the accurate data required to identify, enrol and retain more out-of-school children in school in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda.