Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has called on stakeholders, community leaders, parents and education authorities to intensify efforts towards identifying and enrolling out-of-school children, insisting that every child deserves access to quality and inclusive education.
Governor Fubara made the call on Thursday October 15, 2026 during the Regional Campaign on Engaging Community Structures to Promote the Enrolment of Out-of-School Children and the regional flag-off of the 2026/2027 Enrolment Drive for Southern States, held in Port Harcourt.
Represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Dagogo Wokoma, the governor reaffirmed that “education remains a fundamental pillar of sustainable development,” stressing the need to ensure that “no child is left behind” because of economic hardship, social background or other barriers to schooling.
He noted that expanding access to education was essential to promoting “sustainable development, social inclusion and equal opportunities,” enabling children to reach their full potential and contribute meaningfully to society.
Governor Fubara urged participating states and communities to translate their commitments into “concrete and measurable actions” by reaching vulnerable children, strengthening community engagement and encouraging parents and guardians to prioritise their children’s education. He also reiterated his administration’s commitment to initiatives aimed at expanding access to education, particularly for children excluded from formal schooling.
“Rivers State remains committed to supporting initiatives that expand access to inclusive and quality education, particularly for vulnerable children who may have missed the opportunity to attend formal schools,” Fubara stressed.
Also speaking, the Executive Secretary of the Universal Basic Education Commission, UBEC, Aisha Garba, described the growing number of out-of-school children as “one of the major challenges confronting the education sector.”
Garba called for “a collective and collaborative approach” involving governments, communities, parents and other stakeholders to address the challenge. She emphasised the importance of ensuring that “no Nigerian child is denied the fundamental right to education.”
The programme was organised by UBEC in collaboration with the Rivers State Government as part of efforts to strengthen community participation and promote school enrolment across southern states for the 2026/2027 academic session.
