By; SADIQ ABUBAKAR, Maiduguri
The UNICEF Chief of Maiduguri Field Office, Phuong T. Nguyen has on Wednesday at a one-day media dialogue session with journalists across the country in Maiduguri, the Borno State Capital, amplified the achievements of the Global Partnership for Education Accelerated Funding project at the Conference Hall of Amada International Hotel, Maiduguri.
In her welcome address, she said, ”Your presence here today is a proof that journalists are indeed the fourth estate of the realm and that the wellbeing of children remains an editorial priority.
”The devastating impact of poverty, insecurity and COVID-19 is still taking its toll on the education sector, particularly on access, quality and learning outcomes for children who;e some staggering statistics. Across north-east Nigeria, only 29 per cent of schools have teachers with the minimum qualification.
”The average pupil-teacher ratio is 124 to 1. Almost half of all schools need rehabilitation. Only 47 per cent of schools in Borno have furniture with lower proportions in Yobe (32 per cent) and Adamawa (26 per cent).
”In Adamawa, only 30 per cent of schools have adequate learning materials for pupils with lower proportions (26 per cent) in Borno and (25 per cent) in Yobe. It is therefore, little wonder that, according to the Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys (MICS 2021) less than half of children (48.6 per cent) complete their primary school education in North-East Nigeria.
”About 1.9 million boys, girls and youth affected by conflict are without access to basic quality education in the region. This is inclusive of 56 per cent of all displaced children who are out of school,” Nguyen said.
However, The Chief of Maiduguri Field Office added that,’ “The challenges of out-of-school children and the learning crises in the education sector remain issues that UNICEF and stakeholders are working to address to ensure that every child has the opportunity that education confers and be equipped with skills to survive and contribute positively to the society.
”We are not only here to talk about the challenges, we are also here at this media dialogue to share the achievements made in the education sector.
”One major accomplishment is the teachers’ training programme of the Global Partnership for Education (GPE) Accelerated Funding (AF) project.
”This is an initiative of the Federal Government of Nigeria, through the Federal Ministry of Education, the National Teachers’ Institute (NTI) and the Teachers’ Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN).
”The training programme has supported over 18,000 unqualified teachers working in North-East Nigeria to study and pass the TRCN’s qualifying examination.
Last Saturday, these teachers were inducted and licensed across Borno, Adamawa and Yobe states. The 12-month course was funded by the GPE AF and supported by UNICEF, Teaching at the Right Level (TARL) Africa and the Nigeria Union of Teachers, perhaps targeting large teachers across the country.
”At least 1 million girls and boys will benefit as these newly certified teachers return to their classrooms equipped with modern and effective teaching methods, including the skills to provide gender-sensitive and psychosocial support to learners.
”UNICEF is excited that we might finally be turning the tide against high dropout rate as well as facilitating access and retention of children in school. Millions more children will surely have better learning outcomes with a large cohort of motivated, trained, prepared, and equipped teachers in classrooms across the North-East.
”Other aspects of the GPE AF project also target improving access to education. Classrooms in at least 50 schools have been renovated and 50 temporary learning spaces constructed.Today, you will have the opportunity of visiting some of these schools, seeing and interacting with some of the newly certified teachers in action.
”Over 500,000 children have been provided with learning materials. The capacity of 438 education officials have been strengthened on education-in-emergency leadership, and result-based planning and budgeting.
”We will discuss further other achievements of this project during the dialogue. I know you are ready for the field mission. UNICEF appreciates your collaboration to ensure that no child is denied quality and inclusive education, and with solid learning outcome. Once again, I welcome you to this important media dialogue,” Nguyen said.
While the Executive Chairman, Borno State Universal Basic Education Board (BOSUBEB), Prof. Bulama Kagu at the media dialogue said, ”There is no doubt that the Global Partnership for Education Accelerated Funding (AF) project is contributing to improvement of the education sector in Borno State.
”As you all know, the insecurity occasioned by the Boko Haram insurgency in the last one decade or so has affected the development of virtually every sector of the economic with education been worse hit.
”Consequently, sizeable number of teachers were killed while some were abducted and large-scale destruction of many schools resulted to overcrowded classroom with fewer teaching staff. Borno SUBEB is happy that the achievements of the Global Partnership for Education Accelerated Funding (AF) project will enhance the quality of learning for children in our schools.
”Some of the activities of the project include; distribution of learning materials, renovation of classrooms, construction of temporary learning spaces, capacity building for education officials, training programme for teachers especially on teaching at the right level (TaRL) and strengthening of SBMCs, as well as strengthening of EMIS.
The Executive Chairmen added that, ”The Global Partnership for Education Accelerated Funding (AF) project is a comprehensive and integrated intervention that will be a game changer in the history of education in Borno State.
”Borno SUBEB appreciates the support of the Federal Ministry of Education, the National Teachers’ Institute (NTI), the Teachers Registration Council (TRCN), UNICEF and the Global Partnership for Education (GPE) for supporting and promoting quality education especially through the recently concluded teacher upgrading programme and certification those of teachers into the teaching profession.
”Borno SUBEB, we stand ready for more partnership to improve the standard of education for our children. While UNICEF and other development partners are ever welcome to support the revitalization our education sector in the state,” Bulama said.
