Action
UNICEF’s support to the basic education programme in Nigeria strives to offer education opportunities to all children of primary school age and eliminate exclusion of all kinds. Its objectives are to:
UNICEF works with the Nigerian Government to improve the quality of schools and promote the concept of ‘child-friendly schools’. The principles are simple: for children to come to school, the school needs to meet minimum basic standards such as water and sanitation, tables and benches, adequate provision of text books, safe learning environment, improved management and supervision, higher quality of education with better trained teacher and improved supervision. As of today, UNICEF gives direct support to over 900 schools in Nigeria, providing them with water and sanitation, textbooks, teaching manuals, benches and desks, school bags and other educational and recreational materials. One of the key strategies that the organisation promotes is community ownership by involving communities in the management of the school through the establishment of School Based Management Committees (SBMC). Parents and community members get fully involved in the education of their children, investing their resources to improve the school and teachers, and taking decisions regarding management. UNICEF also supports the Government in building the capacity of teachers, institutions and stakeholders for delivery of quality basic education through teaching material development, training of teachers, education administrators and school inspectors. In addition, UNICEF works to promote an enabling policy environment by assisting with various policy formulations. Because there is still a lack of systematic and reliable data within the education sector, UNICEF gives support to strengthen and improve data management and has helped to develop a new education management information system. The organisation is also promoting the essential learning package which can help each State to develop a comprehensive ten-year education sector strategic plan. This will contribute to the development of a coherent system of supplies procurement and logistics. Girls’ education receives particular attention as one of the organisation’s top priorities. As the lead agency of the United Nations Girls’ Education Initiative, UNICEF supported the Nigerian Government to develop the Strategy for Accelerating Girls’ Education in Nigeria (SAGEN) in 2003. This was later enlarged to include all development partners in the education sector. Today, one of the major projects implemented by UNICEF, in partnership with the Department for International Development (DFID), is the girls’ education programme. The aim of the project is to reduce the number of out of school girls while improving their learning outcomes. It reinforces support to building the education system at national level, as well as intensifying efforts for girls’ education in 720 communities in 36 Local Government Areas (LGAs) in six Northern States. The project includes interventions in the fields of health, water and sanitation and income generation activities. UNICEF is involved in significant social mobilisation efforts to encourage parents to send girls to school. These efforts are driven by traditional and religious leaders in various communities. The project also empowers women by supporting literacy centres and providing equipment for vocational training. Improving access to early childhood care centres with the establishment of such centres in child friendly schools is another key intervention to ensure that children’s intellectual and physical development is stimulated before they go to primary school. In addition, UNICEF has supported the Government in developing the Early Childhood Care Policy as well as training materials for the centres caregivers. Non-formal education is another important area where UNICEF is involved, in order to give a second chance to children who have dropped out of schools or who have not had any education at all. Young people can acquire basic literacy and vocational skills through the set-up of non-formal education centres. Another aspect is the integration of formal education curriculum into traditional Qu’ranic Schools. With UNESCO as an ally, the coverage of literacy programmes over radio was expanded to 12 pilot States. Given the importance of inter-sectoral collaboration, UNICEF promotes health education in schools including teaching on HIV/AIDS, hygiene education and nutrition. UNICEF supported the development and implementation of the National HIV/AIDS Education Sector Plan as well as the integration of Family Life and HIV-AIDS into the regular curriculum.
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