By Olukayode Idowu
The United Kingdom has said revealed that its objective for the Nigeria’s education sector is to ensure all Nigerian children have access to quality education.
Speaking at the Recovery Conference on Thursday in Kano, the acting British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Gill Lever, who reaffirmed his nation’s commitment to support the Kano State Government in addressing significant education sector challenges in the state, said that “the UK’s education objective in Nigeria is to ensure all Nigerian children have access to quality education.”
Themed “Repositioning Education in Kano State: Navigating the Path to Excellence”, the conference presented an opportunity for stakeholders to identify sustainable and scalable solutions to reposition and improve the education sector in Kano State, ensuring sustainable access to quality education for all.
The conference was not only a response to the recent declaration of the state of emergency in education but also a demonstration of the state government’s readiness to work with all relevant stakeholders to proffer solutions and implement innovative approaches to solve the learning crisis in the state.
With support from UK-funded Partnership for Learning for All in Nigeria (PLANE) programme since 2021, Kano state has developed policies and plans and trained head teachers and teachers to deliver safe, inclusive and good quality foundational learning for all.
Acting British High Commissioner, Gill Lever, said at the event that: “The UK is proud of the breadth and range of partnership with the Government of Nigeria, and of course education is an essential component, to underpin human capital development. I’m delighted that PLANE have been able to support Kano’s crucial priority – to address the State of Emergency in Education.
“It is only through collaborations like this, with the best minds and years of experience gathered, can a course be charted to convert political will into sustainable action”.
In his speech at the opening ceremony of the conference, the Kano State Governor, His Excellency Abba Kabir Yusuf, said: “The conference marks a historic moment in our struggle towards revitalising and repositioning the education sector in our beloved state. Education is not merely a pathway to individual success, it is for collective societal progress and economic development, as well as prosperity. It is our duty as custodians of public trust to ensure that every child in Kano receives quality education that will prepare them for the challenges and opportunities of the 21st century.”
Development Director at the British High Commission in Abuja, Cynthia Rowe, said:
“Education is fundamental to enduring poverty reduction, building prosperous, resilient economies and peaceful, stable societies. Today’s children are the talent of tomorrow. We neglect their education at our own peril, but if we get this right, a world of opportunities could open up and that has to be the greatest incentive for all of us”.
National Team Lead, PLANE, Dr Nguyan Feese, said: “PLANE is excited to support the Kano State Government to chart a new course to reform its education sector through the organisation of Kano Education Recovery Conference. We stand ready to continue to support the state to reform the education sector and deliver safe, inclusive and good quality education services that will improve the life chances of the millions of learners in Kano State.”
She also urged the Kano State Government to conduct its own Learning Poverty Assessment in order to get an accurate data on the learning situation and number of out-of-school children in the state.
