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GOVERNOR SANWO-OLU LAUNCHES PROJECT ZERO TO BRING OUT-OF-SCHOOL CHILDREN BACK TO SCHOOL

by LASUBEB Publicity unit | November 20th 2020

The Lagos State Governor, Mr. @jidesanwoolu has, yesterday, enthused over the flag-off of PROJECT ZERO — a social remedial project by the Lagos SUBEB and some private partners. The project, designed to track and bring out-of-school children or pupils who may be on the verge of discontinuing their education back to school, will see to it that there is increased accessibility to basic education in Lagos state, and children are not cheated out of schooling by socio-economic or cultural factors.

Speaking at the launch of the project held at the Lagos SUBEB HQ Multipurpose Hall, Maryland, Governor Sanwo-Olu, represented by his deputy, Dr. Kadri Obafemi Hamzat, decried the rate of out-of-school pupils across the country.

He maintained that the COVID-19 pandemic and its attendant socio-economic effects had further robbed many pupils of their right to education. However, 'with the assured support of our partners, Project Zero will bring pupils on the brink of dropout back to school.'

"Our activities shall commence with the tracking and identification of children who have dropped out or with a high risk of dropping out of school," he explained. The Governor, also, commended the decision by the organised private sector to partner with the State Government in uplifting the standard of education in the State.

In her remarks, the Commissioner of @lasgeducation, Mrs. Folasade Adefisayo, thanked the state Governor, Mr. Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu for his willingness to give substantial resources of the state to education and his commitment to the delivery of quality standard of education in the state, particularly the tech-in-education investment — EKOEXCEL.

The Commissioner berated the failure of our social system which has led to the menace of hoodlums in our society. She, therefore, called on all to join hands with the government to tackle the menace out-of-school children in the state, adding that every child deserves access to quality and qualitative basic education.

She expressed the hope that one of the objectives of the EKOEXCEL initiative, which is to ensure that every child should be able to read from Primary one has started manifesting.

The Chairman, Lagos State House of Assembly Committee on Education, Hon. Yinka Ogundimu, acknowledged the need for initiatives like Project Zero, saying there is need for more similar partnership as government cannot do it alone.

He re-echoed the rate of decadence in the society, saying that the situation is not irredeemable if the necessary efforts and policies are implemented. The lawmaker revealed that the legislative and the Executive arm have already set machinery in motion to guarantee quality education as evidenced in the proposed 2021 Budget.

In its commitment to the implementation of UBE program in the State, the Lagos State Government through State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) made the payment in the sum of Four Billion, Nine Hundred and Fifty Million, Four Hundred and Twenty-Seven Thousand, Five Hundred and Forty-Three naira, Sixty kobo (N4,950,427,543.60) only as requirement to assess the outstanding Y2023/2024 UBE Fund. According to a circular, dated 10th September 2025, signed by the Executive Chairman LASUBEB, Dr. Shittu Hakeem Babatunde, the payment of the counterpart fund represents the commitment of the State Government to joint financial obligation of the Federal and State Governments towards strengthening educational developments. Below is the copy of the circular and letter sent to the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) Abuja on the matter. https://lasubeb.fra1.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/News/document.pdf

The Lagos State Government, under the visionary leadership of Governor Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu, has launched a comprehensive Needs Assessment Project for all Public Primary Schools in the State. The initiative, championed by the Lagos State Universal Basic Education Board (LASUBEB), resonates a bold and decisive step to secure an evidence-based reform in the Basic Education sector. Revealing the initiative at stakeholders engagement on Thursday, 4th September 2025, the Board Member LASUBEB, Owolabi Jamiu Falana, in welcome address highlighted that the project marks a significant milestone in the State’s efforts to strengthen the bedrock of basic education. He added that It will cover 1,238 public primary schools, vocational centres, inclusive units, and Local Government Education Authorities across Lagos. Delivering the keynote address on behalf of the Deputy Chief of Staff, the Executive Assistant to the Governor on Project Implementation and Monitoring, Mr. Olusegun Sanwo-Olu, underscored the State Government’s commitment to human capital development. He noted that the exercise reflects government’s determination to implement evidence-based interventions that will raise standards, ensure equity, and align education reforms with the THEMES+ Agenda and the Lagos State Development Plan 2052. “This project is about clarity and intentionality. By understanding the realities in our schools, we are laying a solid foundation for smart planning, equitable resource allocation, and sustainable reforms. It is a bold step that will ultimately improve the quality of teaching, enhance learning outcomes, and prepare Lagos children to thrive in this fast-changing world,” he said. In his remarks, LASUBEB Chairman, Dr. Hakeem Shittu, described the initiative as the maiden edition of a continuous exercise designed to transform Lagos public schools and sustain long-term improvements in the education system. “This maiden edition of the Needs Assessment Project is only the beginning. It will be sustained as a continuous initiative to ensure our schools, teachers, and learners are never left behind,” he affirmed. While highlighting the project’s benefits, Dr. Shittu explained that it will lead to safer classrooms, improved facilities, empowered teachers, and better learning outcomes for pupils. “The future of Lagos depends on how much we invest in our children today. This initiative gives us the clarity and direction to act decisively,” he noted. He further stressed that the exercise goes beyond identifying gaps, adding that it will generate practical solutions to create a conducive learning environment, improve teachers’ working conditions, and strengthen administrative capacity across the system. Dr. Shittu acknowledged the tireless contributions of teachers, school administrators, and Local Government Education Authorities, and emphasized LASUBEB’s collaboration with the Project Implementation and Monitoring Unit (PIMU) to ensure credible data collection and effective implementation. He called on all stakeholders including teachers, parents, and community leaders to play an active role. “The success of this project depends on our collective effort. Together, we can build a school system that empowers our children with the skills, knowledge, and confidence they need to compete globally.” he said.

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