Osun State Government Dismisses Claim of 297,000 Out-of-School Children

The Osun State Government has come out to refute a recent report that claimed the state has 297,000 out-of-school children. According to a statement issued by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Education, Adekilekun Jimoh, the report in question misquoted the figures presented at a media dialogue organised by the ministry in collaboration with UNICEF. The event, which took place in Ede, actually discussed the Nigeria Learning Passport and Passport to Earn initiatives, which aim to increase access to learning opportunities and digital skills for children and young people. The Permanent Secretary clarified that the figures presented during the programme were related to programme enrolment and participation, not the population of out-of-school children. He stated that approximately 97,000 learners have enrolled on the Nigeria Learning Passport and Passport to Earn platforms in Osun State. Jimoh expressed surprise at the reports suggesting that the figure of 297,000 represents the number of out-of-school children in Osun State, describing such claims as malicious, damaging, and rejected in their entirety. The Osun State Government has called on the media to verify their statistics before publication and ensure that reports accurately reflect presentations made at official events. The government has also urged the newspaper to withdraw the report from the public space and tender an apology to the Osun State Government, the Ministry of Education, and UNICEF for the incorrect reporting. Meanwhile, the Federal Government has intensified efforts to bridge the gap for out-of-school children through coordinated reforms and targeted interventions across the country. The Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, made this known at the ongoing 2026 Basic Education in Nigeria Boot Camp Summit, a three-day event held in Jos, Plateau State, from April 28–30. The summit, themed 'Enhancing Access to Inclusive Quality Education and Bridging the Gap for Out-of-School Children in Nigeria,' brought together stakeholders in the education sector to develop proper approaches to addressing the challenge of out-of-school children in the country.