Almajiri commission explains role in executing non-education projects in 2026 budget

…established 119 learning centres across the country

The National Commission for Almajiri and Out-of-School Children’s Education (NCAOOSCE) has clarified its role in the implementation of certain projects contained in the 2026 Appropriation Act that have attracted public scrutiny for falling outside its statutory mandates.

In a statement issued on Monday by Nura Muhammad, Senior Adviser on Media and Communications to the Executive Secretary and spokesperson for the Commission, NCAOOSCE said the projects in question are constituency projects inserted into the federal budget by the National Assembly and assigned to the Commission for implementation.

According to the Commission, the arrangement is consistent with the long-standing budgetary practice under which constituency projects are allocated to Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) for execution through the annual Appropriation Act.

“The Commission wishes to clarify that these projects are National Assembly constituency projects incorporated into the 2026 Appropriation Act for implementation through the Commission,” the statement said.

It explained that once such projects are included in the duly enacted federal budget and assigned to an agency, they become part of that agency’s implementation responsibilities and must be executed in line with extant laws, financial regulations and established procurement procedures.

The clarification follows public concerns over the inclusion of projects perceived to be unrelated to the Commission’s mandate of addressing the challenges of Almajiri and out-of-school children.

While defending its role in implementing the assigned projects, NCAOOSCE stressed that its statutory responsibilities remain unchanged.

The Commission said it remains focused on coordinating national efforts to reform the Almajiri education system, reduce the number of out-of-school children, expand access to quality education, support state governments and other stakeholders, and implement programmes that improve learning outcomes for vulnerable children across the country.

It also highlighted progress made in pursuing its mandate, noting that it has successfully identified and profiled more than 700,000 out-of-school children nationwide.

According to the Commission, it has established 119 learning centres across the country, intensified ward-to-ward advocacy and community mobilisation campaigns, and continued efforts to implement the National Policy on Almajiri Education aimed at reforming the system and addressing the social challenges associated with it.

NCAOOSCE reiterated that addressing the plight of Almajiri and out-of-school children remains its foremost priority and pledged to pursue its mandate with renewed commitment.

The Commission further acknowledged the support of Maruf Tunji Alausa, Minister of Education, and Suwaiba Sa’id Ahmad, the Minister of State for Education, and other stakeholders in advancing reforms in the basic education sector.

It reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring that every Nigerian child has access to quality education and the opportunity to realise his or her full potential while executing all projects assigned to it under the 2026 Appropriation Act in compliance with due process.