FG Targets Dropout with New Learner Identification Number

The Federal Government has announced plans to introduce a Learner Identification Number for school children from the primary level as part of efforts to track academic progress and address the high rate of school dropouts.

The initiative, being developed by the Federal Ministry of Education, is aimed at improving the education sector and increasing the number of pupils who transition from basic education to senior secondary school.

Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, disclosed the plan during an interactive session with journalists in Lagos. He noted that Nigeria has over 50,000 public primary schools with more than 23 million pupils, but only a little over 3 million progress to junior secondary school level in public institutions.

Alausa said, “We have over 50,000 public primary schools in the country with over 23 million pupils. However, from statistics available to us, only a little over 3 million among those pupils move to the junior secondary school level in our public schools. Then, the question is, where are the about 20 million not enrolled in our public secondary schools? It is obvious that we cannot say our private schools accommodate all of them.

“The issue is simply a lack of access, and we are working on that. There is a need to build more schools, and I have met with the Nigerian Governors’ Forum over that. State governments need to build more schools to accommodate more pupils and students. “

He added that the FG is also introducing the Learner Identification Number, “Right from primary school level for our children. It will be unique to each child, and they will have the number no matter where they started schooling or later transferred to. If somebody is expected to be in JSS class one and he is not there, we will be able to know the reason why he is not continuing his education.”

The minister also revealed that the government plans to phase out the common entrance examination for pupils moving from primary to junior secondary school, replacing it with Continuous Assessment. The new system will reflect pupils’ performance from primary one and follow them across schools.

In addition, he said efforts are underway to revive the school feeding programme to attract more pupils to public schools. The programme is expected to be transferred from the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs to the Federal Ministry of Education for improved monitoring.