By Muhammad Amaan
United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) in collaboration with other partners have developed a road map for revolutionising education and shaping children future in Kebbi, Sokoto and Zamfara States.
The plan was unveiled at the end of a groundbreaking meeting on “Education Roadmap and 2025-2027 Priorities” for the three states on Tuesday in Birnin Kebbi, Kebbi state capital.
Speaking at the event, the Kebbi State Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Dr Halima Bande, expressed gratitude for Kebbi to have hosted the high-level meeting on reviewing education challenges and offered solution.
Dr Halima thanked UNICEF and partners for the unwavering support and encouragement to the three states.
She acknowledged the commitment of Gov. Nasir Idris in prioritising education in his agenda, especially his candid efforts in addressing the menace of out-of-school children in the state.
Dr Michel Juma, the Chief of UNICEF’s Sokoto Field Office, commended the governors of Kebbi, Sokoto, and Zamfara states for prioritising education in their governance.
While describing education as the foundation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the UNICEF officer observed that the sector required urgent and collective action to address the challenge of out-of-school children.
He stressed the need for improved access to quality education, adding that to achieve meaningful learning outcomes, teacher professionalism must be prioritised.
Dr Juma advised governments to ensure adequate budgetary allocation to education to support teacher training as well as the integration of digital literacy into teaching practices.
The UNICEF official encouraged stakeholders to collaborate in identifying state-specific priorities to align them with broader education strategies.
He stressed the need to strengthen the deployment of Teacher Management Information System (TMIS), a digital tool for teacher recruitment, deployment, and performance monitoring.
He further advocated for increased sensitisation on positive corrective methods and ending corporal punishment in Nigeria.
