#TrackNigeria – One hundred and eighteen thousand children and 944 teachers will benefit from Plan International Nigeria’s new education project in Borno state.
Country Director of the child rights organisation, Dr Hussaini Abdu said this in a statement in Abuja on Wednesday.
“The three-year project is funded by the European Union (EU) and is aimed at providing access to safe, inclusive and quality primary and secondary education for both boys and girls in particular (aged 6-18) who have suffered displacement or have returned,” the statement quoted him as saying.
More than 10 million children out of school are in Nigeria, with 60 percent of them being girls. The North East region has one of the lowest literacy rates compounded by a decade of insurgency.
The project which will be launched by the Borno state governor are aimed at restoring children who have been displaced by the crisis in the state back to school.
The implementation is being led by Plan International Nigeria in partnership with Save the Children.
At least 18, 000 children and youth who have dropped out of education will benefit from Accelerated Learning Programme (ALP) in cohorts over the course of the project, 80, 000 primary and secondary school pupils will benefit from improved access to quality education, 12, 000 young people will benefit from life skills training and 4,300 will be receiving employability & business training.
“The project is part of our wider intervention and support for vulnerable population in the North East of Nigeria,” Country Director of Plan International Nigeria, Dr. Hussaini Abdu said in the statement.
He said: “This is part of our commitment to support 100 million girls in Nigeria to learn, lead, decide and thrive in the next five years,” adding that it will help to bring down the poor literacy rate in the region.
The project will renovate and rehabilitate 182 physical disabilities inclusive classrooms, construct 550 gender disaggregated, girl and disability friendly latrines, 16 new boreholes with hand pump, provide voucher based scholastic materials to benefit 23, 000 learners targeted, train and sensitize beneficiaries on hygiene practices.
Also, there will be provision of teaching kits to the 123 schools, and dignity kits to 14, 620 girls to encourage attendance limiting absenteeism related to menstruation.
