Jigawa, Kano, Katsina Lead Nigeria’s Out-of-School Crisis: Why Early Childhood Education Is the Only Way Forward

Nigeria faces an educational emergency. With an estimated 18.3 million children out of school—the highest number of any country globally—the crisis demands urgent, strategic action. Recent data from UNICEF identifies three northern states—Jigawa, Kano, and Katsina—as epicenters of this challenge, collectively accounting for nearly 30% of the national figure. But beyond the staggering statistics lies a deeper, more solvable problem: the lack of investment in early childhood education.

The Scale of the Crisis: Why These Three States?

According to Aisha Abdullahi, an education consultant with the UNICEF Kano Field Office, the out-of-school crisis in Jigawa, Kano, and Katsina is driven by a toxic mix of poverty, insecurity, cultural barriers, and poor school readiness. In many communities, families face impossible choices: send a child to school or put food on the table. Insecurity—from banditry to communal conflicts—has forced schools to close and parents to keep children at home. Cultural norms, particularly around girls’ education, further limit enrollment. And even when children do start school, many are unprepared, lacking the basic cognitive and social skills needed to succeed, leading to early dropout.

Abdullahi made these remarks during a two-day dialogue for journalists from the three states, organized by UNICEF. She presented a paper on foundation learning and skills development, emphasizing that the crisis is not just about access—it is about quality and readiness.

Early Childhood Education: The Preventive Solution

Abdullahi stressed that Early Childhood Care, Development, and Education (ECCDE) offers a strategic, long-term solution. “Early childhood education is not just a preparatory stage but a strategic intervention to reduce the number of out-of-school children,” she said. The logic is simple but powerful: if children are equipped with essential cognitive, emotional, and social skills from birth to age five, they are far more likely to enroll in school, stay enrolled, and complete their education. Conversely, children who miss this critical window are twice as likely to drop out later.

This is not just theory. Research shows that nearly 90% of brain development occurs before the age of five. This makes early learning a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to shape a child’s future. Yet, despite Nigeria’s policy of incorporating one year of pre-primary education into the Universal Basic Education (UBE) framework, access to ECCDE remains severely limited, especially in rural communities. In areas where functional ECCDE centers do exist, Primary One enrollment is up to 40% higher, and retention rates improve dramatically.

Practical Example: The Ripple Effect of ECCDE

Consider a child in a rural Katsina village. Without early childhood education, she arrives at Primary One unable to hold a pencil, recognize letters, or follow simple instructions. She struggles, falls behind, and by age 10, she is out of school—perhaps married off early. Now imagine the same child attending a community-based ECCDE center. She learns through play, develops language skills, and gains confidence. When she enters Primary One, she is ready to learn. She stays in school, completes her education, and is more likely to delay marriage and pursue economic opportunities. That is the power of early intervention.

Gender and Parental Engagement: The Missing Link

UNICEF also highlighted the role of early childhood education in advancing girls’ education. Early exposure helps delay societal pressures such as early marriage and strengthens parental engagement, especially among mothers. However, stakeholders at the dialogue expressed concern over the low involvement of fathers in early learning. Across the region, less than 15% of fathers actively participate in their children’s early education. This is a missed opportunity, given that fathers often hold the decision-making power in households.

Research suggests that increasing male involvement could cut dropout rates by up to 50%. To bridge this gap, stakeholders recommended community advocacy, mosque-based engagement, and structured father-child programs. For example, imams could deliver sermons on the importance of early education, and community leaders could organize father-child reading sessions. These low-cost, high-impact interventions could transform attitudes and behaviors.

Policy Recommendations: From Dialogue to Action

Participants at the dialogue called for urgent policy action. Their recommendations include:

• Expanding ECCDE across all primary schools: Every primary school should have a dedicated early childhood wing, staffed by trained teachers and equipped with age-appropriate learning materials.
• Allocating at least 5% of education budgets to early learning: Currently, early childhood education receives a fraction of education spending. A dedicated budget line would ensure sustainable funding.
• Training more teachers: Early childhood educators need specialized training in child development, play-based learning, and inclusive education.
• Integrating traditional and religious education systems: Many children in northern Nigeria attend Quranic schools. Integrating basic literacy and numeracy into these settings could reach children who would otherwise be excluded.

These measures are not just aspirational—they are achievable. Countries like Ghana and Kenya have successfully scaled early childhood education through similar strategies, and Nigeria can too.

Conclusion: A Call to Invest in the Future

The out-of-school crisis in Jigawa, Kano, and Katsina is a national tragedy, but it is not inevitable. By shifting from reactive interventions—like building more secondary schools—to preventive strategies centered on early childhood education, Nigeria can break the cycle of poverty, illiteracy, and inequality. As Abdullahi put it, “Early childhood education is not just a preparatory stage but a strategic intervention.” The evidence is clear: invest in the first five years, and the returns will last a lifetime.

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