The paper examined the concept of “No Child Left Behind” vis-à-vis somehow related educational policies in Nigeria, especially the Universal Primary Education of 1976, and the current Universal Basic Education. The authors specifically showed that there is no strict relationship between the concept and the policies, except that they are all “mass education” initiatives which tacitly imply inclusive education. The main principles that undergird the policies: utilitarianism, inclusivity, and affirmative action were explicitly highlighted. The paper further delved into the historical origins of “No Child Left Behind” arising from the global consciousness of the need to make education accessible to the excluded and marginalised groups of individuals in society. The authors observed that the well-intentioned and well-designed policies were marred by some implementation measures such as short-sightedness in planning, gross financial deficit and corruption, inadequate infrastructural facilities, and dearth of qualified man-power, among others. The paper further observed that the poor implementation strategies of the policies have both positive and negative implications; and that the negative consequences have adversely affected sustainable national development. The paper therefore recommended that government should ensure that it has dependable statistical data that would enable it make realistic policy projections, and also put stringent stop gap measures to forestall high drop-out rates. It was also suggested that government should demonstrate strong political will, especially in the release of allocated funds, monitoring and evaluation of projects and programmes with a view to bolster the morale of both teachers and students to achieve policy objectives. 

Keyword: Affirmative Action, Education for All, Inclusivity, Mass Education, Sustainable Development Goals, Universal Basic Education, Universal Primary Education, Utilitarianism.