EU launches £40m education, youths empowerment scheme in Sokoto, Kano, Jigawa
The European Union (EU) has launched a 40 million euros education and youths empowerment support programme for Sokoto, Kano and Jigawa States.
Inaugurating the programme on Wednesday in Sokoto, Gov. Ahmad Aliyu, described the programme as a landmark achievement towards salvaging educational decay in the participating states.
Aliyu said the programme would surely facilitate the reversal of ugly indicators of out- of – school children and ensure advancement of education sectors in the state.
He explained that the education sector was given priority by his administration, with the highest budget allocation.
This was in recognition of the poor state of infrastructure and service delivery his administration met on the ground.
According to him, banditry has been affecting education in the states where the government trained Community Guards Corps in order to augment the efforts of the security agencies in protecting the schools and beyond.
He pledged to provide the necessary support to the partners, stressing that a youths empowerment scheme had already been started on leather processing, tailoring and other occupations in the state.
Earlier, the EU Ambassador to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Samuela Isopi, said the support programme was a symbol of sustained commitment towards improving education and youths empowerment in spite of the challenges faced in Nigeria.
Isopi said schools were witnessing attacks including Almajiiri pupils, reiterating that the EU stands with the citizens and is committed to supporting the country to overcome the challenges.
She added that it was designed to improve healthcare, nutrition, gender equality, safe learning and innovations, overall educational planning and livelihood needs.
According to her, it was a multi- sectoral education and youths empowerment project that will be executed with Conditional Cash Transfers, parental support on agricultural productions and complete improvement of quality education.
In her address, UNICEF Country Representative, Ms Cristian Munduate, said the programme was a significant investment in education.
She said it was also timely to scale effective models on bringing children back to school, improving foundational literacy and numeracy and expanding education information management systems.
” We have come a long way in identifying what works to improve access to education and to improve learning in Nigeria.
” In the North-West, where the partnership will be implemented, our engagement with government, and traditional and religious leaders has been crucial in bringing back 1.5 million girls to school in 6 states.
” The out-of-school problem and learning challenges are significantly exacerbated by a fast-growing child population, poverty, violence, and insecurity in the North-West,” she said.
Munduate said some factors put additional pressure on the education system, which itself was constrained among others, a shortage of classrooms, qualified teachers and lack of data.
She explained that the programme adopted a life cycle approach by supporting students’ educational journey from early childhood education to secondary education
According to her, the programme also recognised that learning can take place in multiple settings, including formal schools, Integrated Quranic Schools and community centres.
” Sokoto State has a high number of out-of-school children and learning achievement in literacy and numeracy is low.
” Through a multi-year grant, Sokoto state will reintegrate children into schools by providing cash transfers to poor households and schools, engaging with communities and creating a safe learning environment.”
She expressed optimism that the programme will enhance learning outcomes by offering continuous teacher professional development, provision of teaching and learning materials and fostering foundational, transferable and life skills.
Munduate said, ” The digital learning tools will enhance the education system’s resilience to shocks like climate events and insecurity ensuring uninterrupted learning.
” Advancing education hinges on adequate financing and reliable data.
”Strengthening planning and decision-making processes will involve investing in robust education information systems and enhancing the system’s capacity to plan, budget, and monitor education financing. ”
The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar, who was represented by Dr Jabbi Kilgori, the District Head of Kilgori, commended the donors on the initiative and pledged the traditional rulers’ support in order to achieve the desired impact.
