Why Nigeria must focus on female teachers

Promoting the recruitment of female teachers is not only an essential step towards achieving gender equality, but also contributes to creating a more diverse, inclusive, and enriched educational environment and safer schools for women to teach and for girls to learn. Encouraging the recruitment of female teachers involves recognising the unique contributions
they bring to the profession and addressing barriers that may impede their entry into the field. Representation matters, and having female teachers provides important role models for both male and female students.

Language and Nigeria’s learning crisis: Implementing the National Language Policy

The connection between language and education is very visible and paramount. Language has a profound impact on education. Many children start school with knowledge of concepts in their mother tongue but cannot relate to the same concepts in school because they are unfamiliar with the language of the classroom. In order to fully realise the benefits of education in the mother tongue, it is essential for policymakers and educators to recognise the importance of language as a tool for learning and development.

“Now, I have the confidence that if you come to my school, any child from Primary 1 and 2 can write and read without any stress”- Amina Mohammed

Headteacher Mohammed reports that PLANE’s interventions have resulted in higher enrolment rates, improved literacy skills, and increased motivation among teachers. Notably, students who previously had to reach Primary 4 or 5 before being able to read are now showing progress in reading and writing as early as Primary 1 and 2.

PLANE joins Federal Ministry of Education in hosting maiden edition of Basic Education in Nigeria Bootcamp(BEN-B)

The maiden edition of the Basic Education in Nigeria Bootcamp (BEN-B) was organised by the Federal Ministry of Education in Uyo, Akwa Ibom from 25 to 28 September 2023. The event, with the theme “Improving access to inclusive education for all children in Nigeria towards achieving SDG4”, was supported by various partners including PLANE, UNICEF, The World Bank, British Council and USAID.

Resourceful teachers in Kano State transform classrooms with creative handmade teaching aids

The transformation of classrooms through improvised instructional materials in Kano State has shown the power of creativity, determination, and community support. It further strengthens the quality of teaching and learning obtainable even in the face of resource constraints and aligns with PLANE’s mission in Nigeria to promote effective learning. As reported by some of the trained teachers, these improvised materials have improved engagement and interactions with pupils. Mathematics lessons and other subjects are now a more hands-on adventure with bottle cap counters and cardboard cutout shapes.

PLANE supports training of 200 new teachers in Jigawa on inclusive foundational skills

Partnership for Learning for All in Nigeria (PLANE) in September 2023 organised an intensive 5-day training workshop specifically designed for newly recruited teachers in Dutse, Jigawa State. The focus was on the programme’s inclusive package, which equips teachers with the best approaches and techniques for teaching foundational skills in Primary 1 and 2 in PLANE supported schools within Dutse Local Government Education Authority (LGEA).

PLANE LIVELIHOOD SCHEME: Household Economic Strengthening (HES) and Village Savings and Loan Association (VSLA)

Save the Children trained 21 village Agents across the JKK states (Jigawa, Kaduna and Kano) on Village Savings and Loans Association (VSLA). The training aims to capacitate the participants with the requisite skills to enable them sensitize, mobilize, form and trained VSLA groups across their communities of implementation. The participants of the VSLA are vulnerable members of the communities, parent and caregivers of children who dropped out of school.

Increased communities’ responsibility for children through Community Based Child Protection Committee (CPCPC)

Save the Children trained 210 Community Based Child Protection Committee across the communities in the JKK implementation states; Jigawa, Kano and Katsina. The training was centered on empowering Participants on how best to identify, report, respond and monitor child right violations, Champion the promotion of their rights through campaigns, awareness, community meetings and advocacy in the implementing communities across the JKK state.

Classroom

Breaking Barriers to Learning: Building a Stronger Education System in Nigeria

In northern Nigeria, learning achievement in the primary grades is low, with less than half of children able to read a single word. The Partnership for Learning for All in Nigeria (PLANE), a seven-year project funded by the U.K. Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), seeks to improve learning outcomes for children in grades 1-6 and increase school enrollment. PLANE supports government partners at all levels to achieve this aim—with a goal of reaching 1.5 million learners. The early results show promising uptake and success.