FCDO partners with Jigawa Govt to address out-of-school children challenges
From Mika’il Tsoho, Dutse
The United Kingdom’s Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office (FCDO) has pledged to support the Jigawa State government in addressing the challenges of out-of-school children in the state.
This was announced by Mr. Ian Attifield, Senior Responsible Officer for the Partnership for Learning for All in Nigeria (PLANE) FCDO, a UK-funded project, during a courtesy visit to the state governor, Malam Umar Namadi, at his office in Government House, Dutse.
Attifield stated that the one-day working visit to Jigawa State was aimed at assessing the impact of their intervention in improving foundation skills and quality learning in the state.
He commended the state government’s formula for teacher recruitment, noting that it would help in recruiting qualified and passionate teachers.
“The policy we have seen on the ground in Jigawa State has demonstrated the state government’s commitment to improving access to quality learning and also addressing the challenges of high rates of out-of-school children,” Attifield said. “We appreciate the effort and are ready to strengthen our partnership to achieve the desired goals.”
“Our intervention in PLANE also includes supporting civil societies, traditional and community leaders, and the general public to participate in supporting educational development by playing the expected roles of all state and non-state actors,” he added.
In his response, Governor Namadi acknowledged the support that Jigawa State has received from FCDO in various sectors, including education, health, and good governance.
He noted that the PLANE project has provided valuable insights and technical guidance on how the state can best improve access to quality education for all children in the state.
“We have introduced a formula for recruiting temporary teachers known as J-Teach,” Namadi explained. “After one year, we will observe those who are qualified and have demonstrated a passion for the job and offer them permanent appointments. This will continue until we have enough qualified teachers in our classrooms.”
“Education is one of the critical sectors in the 12-point agenda of my administration,” Namadi emphasized. “We are ready to do everything, including partnering with any good partners and spending our last kobo, to reform the sector for growth and sustainable development.”
