By Joseph Erunke
The National Commission for Almajiri and Out-of-School Children’s Education, NCAOOSCE, has clarified that projects included in its 2026 Appropriation Act that appear to fall outside its statutory responsibilities are National Assembly constituency projects assigned to the Commission for implementation.
The commission said the clarification became necessary following growing public interest and concerns over the inclusion of projects considered unrelated to its core mandate in the 2026 federal budget.
In a statement issued on Tuesday by the Senior Adviser on Media and Communications to the Executive Secretary and spokesperson of the Commission, Nura Muhammad, the agency explained that the projects were incorporated into the Appropriation Act in line with the long-established federal budget practice of assigning constituency projects to Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) for execution.
According to the commission, all projects captured in the Appropriation Act and assigned to it constitute lawful implementation responsibilities and would be executed in strict compliance with existing laws, financial regulations and due procurement procedures.
The commission, however, stressed that the inclusion of such projects does not alter its statutory mandate, insisting that it remains focused on reforming the Almajiri education system and tackling the challenge of out-of-school children nationwide.
It reaffirmed its commitment to expanding access to quality education, strengthening Almajiri education, supporting state governments and other stakeholders, and implementing programmes aimed at improving the lives and futures of millions of vulnerable Nigerian children.
Highlighting its achievements, the commission disclosed that it has successfully identified and profiled more than 700,000 out-of-school children nationwide, established 119 learning centres across the country, intensified ward-to-ward advocacy and community mobilisation, and continued implementing the National Policy on Almajiri Education to reform the system and address the social challenges associated with it.
The agency reiterated that addressing the plight of Almajiri and out-of-school children remains its foremost priority, pledging to pursue its mandate with renewed commitment.
It also acknowledged the support of the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, the Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Sa’id Ahmad, and other stakeholders in advancing programmes designed to ensure that every Nigerian child has access to quality education and the opportunity to realise his or her full potential.
