The IA-Foundation, on Monday seeked stronger action to address Nigeria’s growing out-of-school children crisis to ensure every child has access to quality education

The UK-based charity, which operates in both the United Kingdom and Nigeria, said the proposed reform reflects the urgent need to address Nigeria’s growing out-of-school children crisis through sustainable and inclusive policies.

In a statement, the Founder of IA-Foundation, Ibironke Adeagbo, said the ongoing policy conversation aligns with resolutions reached during the foundation’s recent education summit, which brought together stakeholders from across the education sector to identify practical and scalable solutions to the country’s education challenges.

The foundation also welcomed the Federal Government’s proposed review of the separation between Junior Secondary School (JSS) and Senior Secondary School (SSS), describing the move as a timely step towards reducing the number of children leaving school before completing their secondary education..

According to Adeagbo, every child who drops out of school before completing their education represents a loss of human capital and national development.

He said: “Every child who leaves school before completing their education represents lost human potential. We welcome reforms that remove barriers to progression and support children to remain in school.

“However, reducing out-of-school children requires more than structural policy reform, it requires sustained collaboration, innovation and accountability across the education ecosystem.”

Adeagbo noted that, as part of its contribution to improving educational access, the foundation recently presented an education white paper designed to drive policy and advocacy conversations.

He added that the organisation also launched a dedicated online portal designed to connect out-of-school children with individuals, organisations and sponsors willing to support their return to school by providing access to educational opportunities.

The foundation stressed that addressing the challenge of out-of-school children requires coordinated action involving government, private sector organisations, philanthropies, schools, communities and civil society actors.

Reaffirming its commitment to improving educational outcomes, IA-Foundation said it would continue to leverage advocacy, strategic partnerships, stakeholder engagement and evidence-based interventions to support efforts aimed at reducing the number of children excluded from education and promoting inclusive learning opportunities across Nigeria.