Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State has stressed the importance of collective responsibility and reform to ensure every Nigerian child receives quality basic education.
He made this call at the 27th Quarterly Meeting of the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) with State Universal Basic Education Boards’ (SUBEBs) chairmen in Lagos.
The event, with the theme ‘Bridging the Gap Between Planning and Performance Towards Achieving Quality Basic Education’, held in Ikeja on Monday.
Represented by his Deputy, Dr Obafemi Hamzat, Sanwo-Olu challenged UBEC and SUBEBs to guarantee access to quality education for every Nigerian child
He described basic education as the foundation of a strong and sustainable educational system.
Sanwo-Olu highlighted the alarming number of out-of-school children in Nigeria, estimated at about 20 million in 2021.
The governor questioned why the problem persisted, declaring: “How can we have 20 million children out of school? If true, we have failed.”
He urged stakeholders to act collectively, stressing the need for collaboration and reform to transform basic education across the country.
The governor suggested amending laws and processes to secure every child’s right to education.
He underscored teachers’ central role, saying: “Classrooms don’t teach; it is the teachers that teach.”
Sanwo-Olu reiterated his administration’s commitment to improving education by investing in teacher development and fostering environments that enable student success.
He also stressed the need to leverage technology, noting its growing importance in modern education.
The governor emphasised that the content of education matters, urging that children be trained to become smarter, innovative, and solution-driven.
He cited Project Zero in Lagos, an initiative ensuring every school-age child is enrolled, and challenged other states to adopt similar policies.
Sanwo-Olu maintained: “It must be illegal for parents to deny children education. This must apply nationwide.”
He reminded stakeholders that education underpins socio-economic development, adding that investment in children’s education secures Nigeria’s future prosperity.
The governor expressed confidence that the meeting would reaffirm commitment to bridging planning and performance, ensuring no child is left behind.
He added that discussions also focused on aligning reporting and tracking systems for evidence-based decisions and accountability.
According to him, transparent and timely data will strengthen evaluation, enable strategic adjustments, and guarantee measurable improvements in education quality nationwide.
