Five northern Nigerian states have pledged to sustain improvements introduced under the Partnership for Learning for All in Nigerian Education programme following the conclusion of the initiative.
According to TheCable, education commissioners from Kaduna, Kano, Jigawa, Borno and Yobe made the commitment during the programme’s close-out event in Kaduna.
The UK-funded initiative supported teacher training, access to learning materials, education policy development and the inclusion of children previously excluded from formal education.
The programme was implemented through partnerships involving Development Alternatives Incorporated, UNICEF, Save the Children and other organisations.
Kaduna trains over 6,000 teachers under programme
Kaduna State Commissioner for Education Abubakar Sambo disclosed that more than 6,300 teachers and approximately 700 head teachers benefited from the programme.
He also revealed that 737,000 learning materials were distributed to schools.
According to the commissioner, 76,125 learners benefited from community-based education interventions.
These included more than 40,000 girls and 4,389 children with disabilities.
Sambo disclosed that the initiative also helped more than 25,000 out-of-school children return to learning across Kaduna’s 23 local government areas.
“The seeds sown under PLANE are already bearing fruit,” he said.
Northern states promise continued education investment
Borno State Commissioner for Education Abba Wakilbe described the programme’s conclusion as an opportunity to evaluate achievements and strengthen future interventions.
“The legacy of PLANE will not be measured by what it has done, but by what we achieve from it afterwards,” Wakilbe said.
Education commissioners from Kano and Yobe also welcomed the programme’s contributions.
They highlighted improvements in learning opportunities, teacher development and education planning.
The participating states pledged to preserve the reforms and ensure that learners continued benefiting after the programme’s conclusion.
The commitment comes amid continued concerns about school infrastructure, access to quality education and the number of children outside the formal education system in northern Nigeria.
