Kaduna State Governor Uba Sani has declared that basic education is a right, not a privilege, as his administration intensifies efforts to ensure that every child of school age has access to education before the end of his tenure.

The Executive Chairman of the Kaduna State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Mubarak Mohammed, disclosed this on Wednesday during the 2026/2027 School Enrolment Campaign advocacy at Sheikh Abubakar Gumi Market in Kaduna.

Mohammed said the state government had made basic education free and warned that children of school age should not be allowed to roam the streets during school hours.

“Education is a right in Kaduna State under Governor Uba Sani’s administration. Basic education is free, and it is not a privilege. So, it is an offence for children of school age to roam the streets during school hours,” he said.

The SUBEB chairman expressed concern over the high number of out-of-school children in Northern Nigeria, but said Kaduna had recorded progress in reducing the figure.

According to him, the Sani administration has returned more than 360,000 children to school, reducing the number of out-of-school children in the state from more than 500,000.

He urged parents and guardians to enrol their children and wards in school, describing education as “the greatest leveler” capable of helping children from humble backgrounds attain greater heights.

Mohammed also disclosed that SUBEB had constructed more than 2,000 classrooms to accommodate the growing number of pupils returning to school.

The 2026/2027 School Enrolment Campaign featured a road walk by senior government officials, education stakeholders and SUBEB staff from the State Secretariat to Sheikh Abubakar Gumi Market, where they sensitised residents on the importance of basic education.

Five children presented themselves for enrolment during the advocacy, prompting the SUBEB chairman to direct relevant officials to ensure their admission into primary schools.