Federal Ministry of Education has entered a strategic partnership with the Border Communities Development Agency (BCDA) to address decades of neglect in Nigeria’s borderlands, home to an estimated 22 million children, many of whom are out of school.

The partnership was agreed on during a high-level meeting held in Abuja, yesterday, and organised by the Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, and the Executive Secretary of BCDA, Dr Dax Alabo George-Kelly.

Together, they laid the groundwork for what they both described as a bold intervention aimed at transforming education, health, and development in over 3,000 border communities.

Speaking at the meeting, Dr. Alausa welcomed the BCDA delegation and set the tone for the renewed collaboration, saying: “I am pleased to welcome the Executive Secretary of the Border Communities Development Agency (BCDA), Dr Dax Alabo George-Kelly, to my office on a courtesy visit.”

Painting a picture of the border realities, Alausa noted: “Twenty-one states in Nigeria share borders with neighbouring countries such as Benin, Cameroon, and Niger. These land and coastal borders encompass over 3,000 communities that are unfortunately underserved, poverty-stricken and experiencing population growth. Many of these communities are located in difficult-to-access terrains, further compounding their challenges.

“In line with its mandate, the BCDA is working to provide these communities with essential services, including access to education, healthcare and water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) facilities.”

The main focus of the conversation was the educational crisis affecting millions of children, as the minister revealed: “Currently, over 22 million children are estimated to live in these border communities.”

Due to their remote and inaccessible locations, a significant number of these children are out of school.

“As part of our six-point agenda, particularly Point 3, which focuses on reducing the number of out-of-school children and reintegrating them into the education system, it is imperative that the Federal Ministry of Education (FME) strengthens its collaboration with the BCDA. This partnership will help to avoid duplication of efforts and ensure that targeted interventions reach the communities most in need.”

Alausa pledged an alignment with BCDA’s strategies to boost the impact of government programmes, saying: “Moving forward, the FME and its agencies will align closely with the BCDA on initiatives related to out-of-school children and Almajiri interventions, school rehabilitation, the provision of teachers, learning materials, and more.”