Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has announced plans to sign an executive order aimed at preventing school-age children from roaming the streets during school hours. He also unveiled a $25 million education program designed to improve learning outcomes across Lagos State.

The announcement was made on Friday during the launch of the Lagos Education Access Fund (LEAF) and the inauguration of the Lagos State Universal Basic Education Board (LASUBEB).

“I will be issuing an executive order to back this up and ensure that we are putting our money where our mouth is,” Sanwo-Olu said. “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.”

The governor explained that the LEAF initiative marks a shift from focusing solely on school enrollment to emphasizing measurable learning outcomes. He stressed that simply enrolling children in school is insufficient unless it leads to improved literacy, numeracy, and consistent retention.

Lagos State, in partnership with the Education Outcomes Fund and other development partners, will deploy $25 million in outcomes-based financing to support over 200,000 children across 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 interventions designed to remove barriers to school attendance. It will also strengthen literacy and numeracy development for approximately 150,000 pupils already in school, ensuring that regular attendance translates into meaningful learning and long-term 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,” the governor said.

Sanwo-Olu noted that the program builds on Project Zero, an initiative launched in 2021 to address the issue of out-of-school children. “Through Project Zero, Lagos has identified, tracked, and enrolled over 36,000 children,” he stated.

The planned executive order will reinforce efforts to reduce the number of out-of-school children and promote greater accountability among parents, communities, and institutions responsible for ensuring that every school-age child attends school regularly.