The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has called for increased support for children in internally displaced persons (IDP) camps in Benue State to ensure access to quality education despite the humanitarian crisis affecting the state.

Education Specialist, UNICEF Field Office Enugu, Believe Eke, made the call on Thursday in Makurdi at the presentation and validation of the Benue State Education Needs Assessment Report.

Mr Eke said many displaced children and those in host communities faced challenges accessing education due to insecurity, inadequate infrastructure and limited learning opportunities.

He said the assessment was conducted by UNICEF in collaboration with the Benue State Ministry of Education and Knowledge Management and the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) to identify educational needs and guide interventions.

According to him, the exercise, conducted in July 2026, focused on communities and IDP camps affected by the humanitarian crisis.

Mr Eke said findings showed that many children, particularly those in IDP camps, lacked access to basic and quality education, while some schools operated in inadequate classrooms and lacked essential facilities.

He identified the need for improved learning infrastructure, quality teaching, water, sanitation and hygiene facilities, as well as flexible learning arrangements for displaced children unable to attend formal schools.

He said UNICEF was already supporting the state government in implementing some recommendations, including psychosocial support for teachers and learners affected by the crisis.

Mr Eke stated that UNICEF had renovated classrooms at the Abagana IDP camp after the roofs were blown off, while over 1,000 children had been enrolled in learning programmes in the camps.

He said facilitators were also being trained, with learning materials provided to improve the quality of education for displaced children.

“Because of the crisis, these children are not where they want to be. While we are providing learning, we are also providing psychosocial support to help them cope with their experiences,” he said.

Mr Eke stressed the need for sustained collaboration between UNICEF and the state government to ensure that children in displacement settings were not left behind.

Earlier, the Commissioner for Education and Knowledge Management, Margaret Adamu, represented by the Permanent Secretary, Helen Nambativ, said the assessment would provide evidence for improving education planning and resource allocation.

Ms Adamu said the assessment was designed to identify critical gaps and challenges affecting access, equity, quality and learning outcomes across the state.

She said insecurity, displacement, increasing numbers of out-of-school children, inadequate infrastructure and teacher-related challenges continued to affect education, particularly in vulnerable and conflict-affected communities.

The commissioner said the findings would help government and development partners prioritise interventions and direct resources to areas of greatest need.

She urged stakeholders to ensure that recommendations from the assessment were practical and implementable, adding that the success of the exercise would depend on translating its findings into improved educational opportunities.

Ms Adamu reaffirmed the state government’s commitment to expanding access to education, improving teachers’ welfare and capacity, and providing conducive learning environments for all children.

She commended UNICEF and the assessment team for their technical support and called for sustained collaboration among government agencies, development partners, communities, parents and school administrators.

The assessment report was presented for validation by education stakeholders to guide evidence-based planning and interventions in Benue State.

(NAN)