As of 2024, 36,995 students in Borno State have been enrolled by the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) through its Nigeria Learning Passport (NLP) program, a considerable rise over the 19,300 students enrolled in 2023. UNICEF’s Education Manager, Caroline Waruguru, revealed this at a quiz contest for Maiduguri’s elementary, junior, and senior secondary schools. The NLP is an online learning platform that gives teachers and students free access to regional educational materials and content so they can participate in educational activities. Data analytics and a Digital Learning record are among its features, which are available through both web and mobile applications.
The NLP, which has been implemented in 18 states in Nigeria, has reached over 290,000 users, including 190,000 pupils. More than 15,000 educational resources that are in line with the national Curriculum are available on the platform. Additionally, with the help of donors like Airtel, SILSA, SONY, and FCDO, UNICEF has given 210 Samsung tablets, 30 routers, and projectors to participating schools. Barai’imul Imam, Elkenemi College of Islamic Theology, and Maiduguri Capital School all took first place in their respective divisions throughout the competition. Representing Maiduguri Capital School, Dominion Dauda thanked UNICEF and promised to spread awareness of the NLP among his peers.
NLP ensures that kids, youth impacted by violence continue their education.
Education in Borno state, in northeastern Nigeria, has been severely hampered by the protracted Boko Haram Insurgency that has plagued the area for more than ten years. As a result of the destruction of numerous schools and the displacement of innumerable students, formal schooling was severely disrupted. Between 2009 and 2022, UNICEF reports that more than 1,400 schools in northeastern Nigeria were destroyed or severely damaged, depriving thousands of children of access to educational resources. A generation of kids are now at risk of not receiving an education because of this circumstance, which has made the region’s cycle of Poverty and Underdevelopment worse.
In this regard, the Nigeria Learning Passport (NLP) is particularly important since it provides a digital solution that may get beyond Infrastructure obstacles and give learning opportunities in accessible, safe ways, even in rural locations. The NLP makes sure that children and youth impacted by violence may continue their education through its web-based and mobile platform, which helps them regain hope for the future. UNICEF intends to extend the Nigeria Learning Passport’s coverage to more Nigerian states, with an emphasis on underprivileged and conflict-affected regions such as Borno, Yobe, and Adamawa.
Offline learning solutions as an option is being looked into.
Through the assistance of partners in the public and private sectors, UNICEF hopes to engage more than 1 million pupils nationwide on the NLP platform by 2025. UNICEF intends to extend access by distributing digital devices, including Smartphones and tablets, to more schools and enhancing internet connectivity in distant locations by working with telecom providers like Airtel. In areas where internet connectivity is scarce or nonexistent, UNICEF is also looking into the potential for offline learning solutions.
This will guarantee that even in the event of an unstable connection, students can download educational resources and study. One important collaborator in the NLP’s implementation has been the state government of Borno. The commissioner for education in Borno State, Dr. Babagana Mallam, spoke at the quiz competition and praised UNICEF for its dedication to enhancing education in the area. The Nigeria Learning Passport has revolutionised education in Borno, he stated. Many of our youngsters who lost years of education because of conflict now have hope.
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Additionally, the Commissioner further stated, “We are collaborating closely with UNICEF to make sure the platform reaches every part of the state, and the state government is still fully committed to supporting this initiative.” In order to protect students in impacted areas, the government works with UNICEF to provide infrastructure and Security support. In areas where traditional schooling systems have disintegrated due to conflict, the NLP’s contribution in closing the educational gap in Borno underscores its significance. The NLP will be a crucial instrument for enhancing educational access throughout Nigeria through collaborations, community engagement, and further growth.