Borno State Governor, Professor Babagana Umara Zulum, has pledged to strengthen the state’s partnership with the African Union (AU) to expand access to education for about 800,000 out-of-school children.
Zulum made the pledge on Thursday when he received a delegation led by the African Union Chairperson’s Special Envoy for Children Affected by Armed Conflict, Ambassador Jainaba Jagne, on a courtesy visit to Government House, Maiduguri.
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The Governor said the number of out-of-school children in Borno had fallen from more than two million about seven years ago to approximately 800,000. He called for further support to sustain the progress and bring more vulnerable children into classrooms.
“Education is the bedrock for any meaningful development, and therefore one area that we need support from the African Union is to increase access for out-of-school children to be enrolled in schools,” Zulum said.
He explained that education remained central to Borno’s transition from humanitarian response to recovery, stabilisation and long-term development. He added that his administration had invested in school reconstruction, teacher recruitment, and expanded learning opportunities, with particular attention to vulnerable children and girls.
“The protection of children is not merely a humanitarian obligation. It is a strategic investment in peace, security and sustainable development,” he stated.
Zulum identified education, psychosocial support, skills development, and community acceptance as essential to recovering and reintegrating children affected by conflict. He reaffirmed the state’s commitment to safe, inclusive learning environments and the principles of the Safe Schools Declaration.
The Governor also sought support to strengthen primary healthcare in communities with limited access to tertiary health facilities. He identified trained personnel, modern equipment, and nutritional services as priorities to improve children’s health and tackle malnutrition.
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“Our children deserve better attention. The issue of malnutrition is also there among our own society,” he said.
Zulum stressed that protecting children also required better economic opportunities for their mothers and families. He called for livelihood support to help households meet children’s nutritional, educational and other essential needs.
“Enhancing the means of livelihood of the mothers will no doubt reduce the vulnerability of the children,” the Governor added.
He welcomed the AU’s education-focused interventions and reaffirmed Borno’s commitment to working with the Union, the Federal Government, the United Nations, and other partners on education recovery, youth empowerment, child protection, and peacebuilding.
In a remark, African Union Special Envoy on Children Affected by Armed Conflict, Ambassador Jainaba Jagne, commended Governor Babagana Umara Zulum’s administration for its efforts to rehabilitate and reintegrate children affected by insurgency, saying the experience offers lessons for other African countries.
The envoy said her engagements with the First Lady, Associate Professor Falmata Babagana Umara Zulum, and visits to the Bulumkutu Interim Care Centre and Muna Vocational Centre had allowed her to assess the state’s interventions.
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“We have to take back to the African Union member states the amazing work that is being done here in Borno State,” Amb Jagne said.
Ambassador Jagne said the delegation brought educational materials for more than 1,000 children, along with hygiene supplies for adolescent girls undergoing reintegration.