Nigerian European Union-funded education and empowerment programme has chosen Kano State and others as its primary recipients, bestowing numerous benefits upon the region. The goal of the initiative is to enhance access to secure, comprehensive, and pertinent educational and skill-building opportunities for both girls and boys in the states of Kano, Jigawa, and Sokoto. The Director of Public Enlightenment of the Ministry of Education conveyed the information in a statement released to the media on Tuesday.
Mr. Michael Banda, the team leader of a United Nations Children’s Fund delegation, briefed Alhaji Umar Doguwa, the state Commissioner for Education, regarding the program in his office while making the disclosure. The program, set to begin in September 2023 and conclude in August 2027, will span over four years. It focuses on 10 Local Government Areas (LGA) from Kano, Jigawa, and Sokoto states. It aims to provide valuable education to around 1.2 million learners. It will also support 150 education officials, 5,000 teachers, and 5,400 community members across various educational areas.
Challenges in the sector will be tackled by the initiative.
Transforming the education sector, the programme focuses on three primary outcomes. These outcomes encompass improving education governance and learning, broadening the reach of a secure and inclusive learning atmosphere, and enhancing the quality of continued learning and competencies. He highlighted the importance of adopting a structured approach in the education sector to address the ever-changing digital landscape. This approach would ensure that both educators and learners receive adequate digital training to thrive in this evolving technological era.
Furthermore, it was pointed out that the successful integration of digital technology into the education industry depends on the participation of teachers, learners, and ministry officials. It is imperative that they all undergo comprehensive training to adapt to the advancements in the sector effectively. He further mentioned that as part of their initiative to enhance community collaboration in elevating the quality of education, they also aim to strengthen various committees in the sector, such as the Schools Based Management Committee, thus empowering and equipping them.
There is a need to develop a data management system for teachers.
In Kano, there is a potential challenge that the programme may encounter, as explained by Mr. Banda. This challenge revolves around data assessment, specifically relating to the recruitment of teaching staff. It has been noted that Kano has historically struggled to recruit teachers based on accurate information. As a result, there is a pressing need to develop a data management system exclusively for teachers. Therefore, he earnestly appealed to the government for their support and collaboration in order to successfully bring this project to fruition.
Expressing gratitude, Umar Doguwa, the Commissioner of Education for the state, extended his heartfelt appreciation to the European Union (EU) for choosing Kano as a beneficiary state for the program. Doguwa emphasised that, due to Kano’s anticipation of receiving more from the allocated funds for education within the program, the state is committed to providing unwavering support and encouragement as a demonstration of its commitment. He promises that the government will provide essential assistance to successfully connect with the targeted students and teachers to achieve the established objectives.
Teachers census will be carried out in the state for proper records.
Lastly, he made it known that the State government had given its approval for the allocation of funds to carry out a thorough census of teachers. The purpose of this was to establish a comprehensive database containing records of all the teaching staff in schools throughout the entire state. His praise was extended to the organisers of the programme, acknowledging their commendable efforts in dedicating a substantial amount of money towards the advancement of the Arabic school’s development and initiatives designed to acquire essential skills.
Related Link
EU: Website
