From Salim Umar Ibrahim, Kano
At least 342,000 out-of-school children and youth are set to benefit from a new education and empowerment initiative aimed at transforming basic education access in Northwest Nigeria.
The project, titled Accelerating Basic Education and Livelihood Opportunities for Children and Youth in North-western Nigeria, is funded by the European Union and implemented by Plan International Nigeria with co-applicants Save the Children International (SCI), Dispute Resolution and Development Initiative (DRDI), and Save the Child Initiative (STCI).
The initiative was officially presented at a one-day state-level summit on safety and security in schools held in Kano, with a strong focus on improving learning conditions and safeguarding vulnerable children.
The intervention targets five Kano LGAs of Nasarawa; Kumbotso, Gwale, Rimin Gado, and Tudun Wada, three in Jigawa (Babura, Gwaram, and Kafin Hausa), and four in Sokoto (Bodinga, Gwadabawa, Sokoto North, and Tambuwal).
Speaking at the summit, Hussaini Bwala, Education Programme Coordinator for Save the Children, emphasised the project’s broad objectives. “The goal of this summit is to improve safety and well-being for out-of-school children, girls, young women, persons with disabilities, and facilitators by creating safer learning environments,” he said.
Bwala said the project aims to increase access to safe, quality, and inclusive alternative and accelerated education for 324,000 children, including persons with disabilities, with the goal of transitioning many into formal or non-formal education pathways.
Among the outlined goals include reaching 194,400 males, 129,600 females, and 32,400 persons with disabilities will benefit directly; 2.5 million individuals will be reached indirectly through expanded access to education and youth vocational training and 60,000 youth, including 6,000 with disabilities, will gain vocational training and green job opportunities, with 20,000 to be linked to employment.
Other efforts are training of 300 facilitators to establish 300 village savings and loan associations and 150 safe spaces for girls and young women; 120 peace club facilitators will be trained to integrate peace education into school curricula and 3,000 children and youth will be empowered to advocate for girls’ education and peaceful coexistence through innovative media.
The initiative aims to address long-standing challenges in education, particularly for vulnerable groups, while aligning with national priorities for inclusive and sustainable development in Nigeria’s Northwest.
