By Our Correspondent

National News – The Babajide Sanwo-Olu administration has launched a $25 million Lagos Education Access Fund aimed at enrolling 50,000 out-of-school children into formal education while strengthening learning outcomes in public schools across the state.

The initiative, unveiled at Lagos House in Marina, is designed to improve access to quality basic education and reduce the number of children who are not currently attending school.

According to the Lagos State Government, the programme targets children between the ages of six and 14 who are outside the formal education system.

Through the fund, authorities plan to integrate thousands of these children into classrooms while also improving literacy and numeracy skills for students already enrolled in public schools.

Governor Sanwo-Olu described education as a major pillar of social and economic progress, noting that the initiative would support about 200,000 children across different communities in the state.

He explained that aside from enrolling new pupils, the programme will also help strengthen foundational learning for about 150,000 students already attending public schools.

The governor noted that the initiative builds on the progress recorded under the Project Zero programme, launched in 2021 to identify and reintegrate out-of-school children into the school system.

Through that effort, more than 36,000 children have reportedly been returned to classrooms across the state.

Officials also revealed that the programme aligns with the state’s THEMES+ Development Agenda, particularly its focus on education, technology, and human capital development.

As part of broader community support efforts, over 360 parents and guardians have received vocational and livelihood training in areas such as fashion design, catering, soap production, and hairdressing.

Authorities believe empowering families economically will help them better support their children’s education.

International partners are also supporting the initiative.

Organisations including the Education Outcomes Fund and the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation are backing the programme, with the latter contributing $10 million.

Officials say the results-based financing model will ensure funding is tied to measurable outcomes such as enrolment, retention, and school completion, while technology and monitoring systems will track children’s progress.