By Muhammad Amaan
The Kaduna State Team Lead of the Nigerian Learning Passport (NLP), Ministry of Education, Mr Philip Mamman, has disclosed that no fewer 2.2 million users have enrolled on the online learning platform across Nigeria.
These were part of efforts to intensify bridging the country’s learning poverty gap.
Mr Mamman, stated this while speaking at the sideline of this year’s commemoration of the National Children’s Day at the Air Force Institute of Technology, Kaduna.
Speaking on the impact and future of the initiative being supported by UNICEF in partnership with the Global Partnership for Education, hosted by the Federal Ministry of Education, Mr Mamman said the NLP is an online learning platform designed to provide Nigerian children with access to quality education irrespective of their location.
“The Nigerian Learning Passport is an online learning platform that tries to close the learning poverty gap, especially around literacy and numeracy.
“It allows every Nigerian child, whether in rural or urban areas, to access quality education,” he said.
He explained that users could access the platform through Android phones, iOS devices, laptops and desktops by downloading the NLP application from the play store and registering with an email address.
Mamman noted that the platform was launched in Abuja on March 24, 2022, by the late former President, Muhammadu Buhari, through the then Minister of State for Education.
He added that 24 states have so far launched the initiative, with Gombe being the latest state to join the programme in April.
Describing the platform as the largest online learning platform in Africa, Mr Mamman said enrollment and usage have continued to grow nationwide.
“At the moment, we have over two million users across Nigeria and the enrollment is still ongoing,” he said.
Speaking on challenges, he said efforts are being made to improve access for learners in hard-to-reach communities through the introduction of offline hubs that do not require internet connectivity.
“We know there are communities without internet access. The offline hub allows learners in such areas to use the platform without the internet,” he explained.
He revealed that Kaduna state is expected to benefit from the offline hub initiative in the near future.
On the role of UNICEF, Mr Mamman said the organisation has been providing technical support to states, especially in teacher training and digital learning innovation.
According to him, about 70,000 teachers across Nigeria have been trained on the use of the platform since its launch.
He further disclosed that UNICEF is also promoting blended learning by combining conventional classroom teaching with technology-enabled learning tools, including artificial intelligence and generative AI as teaching assistants.
Looking ahead, Mr Mamman said the programme aims to expand to more states and improve access to education, especially for out-of-school children.
“We are looking at scaling the programme to reach every Nigerian child. In the near future, we hope to expand to over 30 states plus the FCT so that every child can access quality education with just a click,” he said.
