Sanwo-Olu to ban children from streets during school hours in Lagos
Governor Sanwo-Olu Announces Executive Order and $25 Million Education Initiative
LAGOS — Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu announced plans to sign an Executive Order to prevent school-age children from loitering during school hours. This announcement comes in conjunction with the launch of the Lagos Education Access Fund (LEAF), along with the inauguration of the Lagos State Universal Basic Education Board (LASUBEB) on Friday.
Sanwo-Olu emphasized the importance of ensuring that children are in school during designated hours. “No child should be seen outside between 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. unless there is a very good reason that child is not in school,” he stated.
The LEAF initiative marks a significant shift from merely increasing school enrollment to enhancing measurable learning outcomes. Sanwo-Olu highlighted that enrollment alone does not guarantee improved literacy and numeracy skills or consistent student retention.
In partnership with the Education Outcomes Fund and various development partners, Lagos State will allocate $25 million toward outcomes-based financing to support over 200,000 children in the state. The program aims to enroll more than 50,000 out-of-school children aged six to 14 into the formal education system through targeted community engagement and measures to eliminate barriers to attendance.
The initiative will also focus on bolstering literacy and numeracy skills for the approximately 150,000 pupils already enrolled in schools, ensuring that regular classroom attendance leads to meaningful learning experiences and academic success.
“This initiative is not just about funding education; it is about ensuring every investment translates into real learning, real opportunity, and measurable outcomes for our children,” Sanwo-Olu said.
The governor noted that the planned executive order will strengthen efforts to reduce the number of out-of-school children and promote accountability among parents, communities, and educational institutions.
Sanwo-Olu referenced Project Zero, an intervention launched in 2021 aimed at identifying and enrolling out-of-school children. He reported that this initiative has successfully tracked and enrolled more than 36,000 children in Lagos.
