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The United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) on Thursday launched the ‘Nigeria Learning Passport’ (the “NLP”) in partnership with the Kwara state government to train not less than 3,000 Teachers on digital literacy skills within one year.
Addressing government officials, educational stakeholders and students in Ilorin, the state capital, the representative of UNICEF, Bala Dada said the initiative ‘NLP’ was designed by UNICEF and Microsoft at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic to reimagine education by making all the educational material available on/off-line to students, teachers and interested learners in their comfort zone.
UNICEF field officer, Mr. Bala Dada addressing stakeholders at the launching of ‘NLP’ at the E-Phoenix Hotel, G.R.A, Ilorin, Kwara State on 12/9/2024.
“Launching the Nigeria Learning Passport today marks the re-start of a partnership between UNICEF and Kwara State in the education sector.
“With the support of Microsoft, GPE, Airtel, HIS towers and TECHNO, this partnership will build the capacity of 3,000 teachers on digital literacy skills to deliver quality basic education to 120,000 children in Kwara State within one year (teacher-pupil ratio 1:40).
“Providing greater access to reduce the number of OOSC and increase literacy and numeracy. Since 2022, the project has enrolled 1,478,984 students. Learning passport is available for free on online, mobile, and through offline devices. We are working with Airtel and IS to bridge the data and connectivity gaps.”
He added that the materials could be accessed without data cost for Airtel sim users.
Dada, who is an education officer for UNICEF, Kaduna field office reiterated the commitment of UNICEF not just to digital learning platform but ensuring materials on it are supportive of the curriculum and accessible in local languages to the poor, rural, the marginalized, and to girls with all subjects from primary school to senior secondary to be on the platform.
“Unless we take these critical steps, digital learning can widen rather than narrow inequality in education.
“We have provided 15,000 devices with a target towards poor and rural schools for use by teachers and learners in Nigeria and we hope through partnerships with the public and private sectors we can grow that rapidly.”
The UNICEF representative however lauded AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq led administarion for finding it necessary to bring back organization to Kwara after many years of break in partneship.
“UNICE is immensely proud to be a partner of Kwara state, again. The support and access your administration has provided have been crucial as we continue to work together in raising awareness and advancing key initiatives in health, child protection, education, and WASH, all for the benefit.”
Some Participants at the launching ceremony.
Dada also disclosed that Kwara is now the 20th state that has subscribed to the initiative.
In his speech, governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, represented by the Secretary to the state government, Prof. Mamman Saba Jibril lauded the initiative said “I am particularly excited that we are domesticating this initiative.
“The domestication of this initiative comes at a time that we are also implementing the KwaraLEARN, a game-changing education initiative that has improved learning outcomes for our children across the 16 local government areas.
“Our administration will continue to subscribe to policies and programmes that will facilitate accelerated educational development in the state,” he said
Earlier in her welcome address, the state commissioner for education and human capital development Hajia Sa’adatu Modibo Kawu said “The launching of ‘NLP’ is in the line with the transformation agenda of the present administration toward the attainment of 2030 agenda of the United Nation Sustainable Development Goal, SDG for (quality education).
Some participating students at the event.
No doubt, the education sector in Kwara State has lost contact with UNICEF for a while. Now that you have rekindled and renewed our hope in UNICEF Programme, I want to assure you that your confidence in us will be justified.
“As we join other State of the Federal today in the implementation of the Nigeria Learning Passport, be rest assured that we shall mobilise human and material resource to ensure that NLP programme
is fully implemented in Kwara State.”
The Nigeria Learning Passport is an online educational platform, that provides continuous access to quality education for learners in Nigeria, particularly those who may be out of school, those in need of additional support, and for children in areas with little access to technology or school facilities.
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