Two years after the Taraba State Government declared free education across all public primary and secondary schools, enrollment figures have surged
Latest data from the state indicate that the policy shift is already yielding positive results and signals inclusive and equitable education for all.
Governor Agbu Kefas first announced the tuition-free education policy on July 7, 2023, during an inspection tour of public schools in Wukari.
According to data from the State Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education, obtained through the Office of the Special Adviser to the Governor on Policy and Strategic Communications, primary school enrollment has increased by 37.91%, while secondary school enrollment has risen by 84.46% since the policy was enacted.
Before the policy, public primary schools had 760,597 pupils, and secondary schools enrolled 100,950 students.
As of July 2025, those figures have risen to 1,049,000 for primary and 186,235 for secondary schools.
This reflects a two-year increase of 288,403 pupils in primary schools and 85,285 students in secondary schools.
Special Adviser to the Governor on Policy and Strategic Communications, Nelson Dimas, who described the surge as a quiet revolution of hope, said the numbers reflect a clear reversal in the trend of out-of-school children, particularly in rural and economically disadvantaged communities.
According to him, “what we’re witnessing in Taraba isn’t just an uptick in enrollment. It’s the quiet revolution of hope returning to households. The chalkboard now competes with the street for the attention of our children, and for once, the classroom is winning.”
