The National Commission for Almajiri and Out-of-School Children’s Education (NCAOOSCE) says that projects captured in its 2026 Appropriation Act which appear to fall outside its statutory mandate are National Assembly constituency projects assigned to the commission for implementation.

The commission made this known in a statement issued on Tuesday in Abuja by its Special Adviser on Media and Communications to the Executive Secretary, Mr Nura Muhammad.

Muhammad said the projects were incorporated into the 2026 Appropriation Act under the long-standing budgetary practice whereby constituency projects were assigned to Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) for execution.

“As part of the duly enacted federal budget, every project assigned to the commission formed part of its implementation responsibilities and would be executed in strict compliance with extant laws, financial regulations and due procurement processes.”

He reaffirmed that the commission statutory mandate remained unchanged, stressing that it was established to coordinate national efforts toward reforming the Almajiri system of education and tackling the challenge of out-of-school children.

He also said the commission remained committed to expanding access to quality education, strengthening Almajiri education, supporting states and other stakeholders, as well as implementing programmes that directly improve the lives of vulnerable children across the country.

Muhammad said that the commission had already identified and profiled more than 700,000 out-of-school children nationwide and established 119 learning centres across the country.

He added that the commission had also sustained ward-to-ward advocacy and community mobilisation while pursuing the full implementation of the National Policy on Almajiri to reform the system and address the social vices associated with it.

He reiterated that addressing the plight of Almajiri and out-of-school children remained its foremost priority.

He expressed appreciation for the continued support of the Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, the Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Ahmad, and other stakeholders in advancing its mandate. (NAN)