The United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) has pledged to support the Benue State Government in strengthening basic education across the state, with particular focus on out-of-school children and those living in Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps.
The commitment was made during a strategic needs assessment visit by a UNICEF delegation to the Benue State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) headquarters on Wednesday, March 4, 2026.
The delegation, led by UNICEF International Consultant Michelle Boujikian, held an interactive session with SUBEB officials to explore collaborative strategies for improving education delivery in the state. Discussions focused on enhancing data access, assessing the needs of schools, and designing evidence-based interventions aimed at addressing the challenges facing vulnerable children.
Speaking during the engagement, Boujikian emphasized UNICEF’s commitment to ensuring that every child in Benue State has access to quality basic education, particularly those affected by displacement.
She noted that many children living in IDP camps continue to face serious barriers to education and stressed the need for targeted interventions supported by reliable data.
“UNICEF remains fully committed to safeguarding every child’s right to quality education,” she said. “Reliable data and strong partnerships are essential for designing impactful interventions that can reach children in IDP camps and those currently out of school.”
Boujikian explained that UNICEF would work closely with SUBEB and other stakeholders to develop programmes capable of addressing these challenges while strengthening the overall education system in the state.
Responding, the Executive Chairman of SUBEB, Dr. Grace Adagba, welcomed UNICEF’s renewed commitment and expressed appreciation for the organisation’s continued support to the education sector in Benue.
She revealed that several surveys and data collection exercises conducted by SUBEB had uncovered critical challenges affecting school participation among children in the state.
According to her, the findings highlight shortages of learning materials, weak school feeding programmes, and low parental motivation as major factors contributing to the number of out-of-school children.
“Data gathered from our surveys show that many children remain out of school due to a combination of economic and social challenges,” Adagba said. “These include inadequate school supplies, poor feeding programmes, and limited motivation from parents.”
Adagba explained that UNICEF’s support would be particularly important for the successful implementation of the “Building Rights to Access and Compulsory Education for Un-enrolled Pupils” (BRACE-UP) Project recently launched by Benue State Governor, Rev. Fr. Dr. Hyacinth Iormem Alia.
The BRACE-UP initiative is designed to reintegrate out-of-school children into the formal basic education system through a range of targeted interventions.
“These interventions include training parents to serve as motivation agents for massive enrollment of out-of-school children, providing stipends for vulnerable families, revitalizing the school feeding programme, and promoting compulsory enrollment in formal basic education,” she said.
Also speaking during the meeting, UNICEF Education Specialist from the Enugu Field Office, Mr. Believe O. Eke, confirmed that the organisation would provide structured support to the BRACE-UP initiative.
According to him, UNICEF plans to implement a one-year support programme that will include training for parents and education stakeholders on positive parenting practices to encourage school enrollment and retention.
He also disclosed that UNICEF has identified IDP camps and basic schools across the three senatorial zones of the state for the distribution of 400 sets of “School-in-a-Box” learning kits.
“We have mapped IDP camps and schools across the three zones of the state where 400 sets of School-in-a-Box will be distributed to support learning for children,” Eke said.
Other UNICEF officials present at the meeting, including Education Specialist Mrs. Obasiegbe Nneka from the Abuja Office and Benue State UNICEF Desk Officer Dr. Ngulum Emmanuel, commended SUBEB for maintaining strong collaboration with the organisation in expanding access to basic education in the state.
