By Philip Yatai
The UK-supported Partnership for Learning for All in Nigeria (PLANE) programme has inducted the Kaduna State Commissioner for Local Government, Hajiya Umma Ahmed and five others as PLANE Reading Ambassadors in the state.
The State Team Lead in the state, Ms Diana Agabi, made this known in Kaduna on Thursday, on the sidelines of the inauguration of the programme at the Model Primary School, Kakuri Kaduna.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the seven-year programme being funded by UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Officer (FCDO) is designed to drive inclusive education programme in the state.
Agabi told NAN that the ambassadors were inaugurated during the inauguration of the programme at community levels in Sabon Gari, Soba, Kaduna North, and Kaduna South Local Government Areas of the state.
According to her, the ambassadors were selected for their passion for the development of education and will serve as PLANE ambassadors to promote quality education delivery.
“They will also support PLANE in the mobilisation of parents, caregivers and community members to support good learning outcomes among school children.”
She said that the commissioner for local government was inaugurated alongside Mr Mukhtar Baloni, Executive Chairmans, Kaduna North Council and Alhaji Jibril Magaji as PLANE Reading Ambassadors in Kaduna North LGA.
She added that Mr Kamilu Sale, a traditional title holder (Dan Iyan Makere), and Hajiya Laduwa Umar, a community mobiliser, were also inaugurated as the Ambassadors for Kaduna South LGA.
The official also said that the Village Head of Soba, Alhaji Sani Soba, and Rodiatu Suleiman, a member of the school-Based Management Committees (SBMCs), Damari were inaugurated as the Ambassadors in Soba LGA.
She equally said that Mr Garba Umar, Chairman, SBMC, Sabon Gari LGA and Mrs Fasilat Usman an educationist, were inaugurated as the Ambassadors for the LGA.
She added that four others would be inaugurated in Sanga and Jaba LGAs next week.
Agabi explained that the notable and influential individuals were selected based on their commitment to the development of schools in their communities and education in general.
“These are groups of influential individuals who have been following up with educational development in their communities, encouraging parents and supporting schools when in need.
“We, therefore, decorated them as PLANE Reading Ambassadors for their passion and dedication to the educational development of children.
“We want them to continue the good deeds and support all PLANE activities particularly community outreach and mobilisation,” she said.
NAN reports that the seven-year programme is being implemented in 728 primary schools across six Local Government Areas of Kaduna South, Kaduna North LGA, Sabon Gari, Soba, Jaba and Sanga.
The programme aimed at supporting more inclusive and effective education systems to deliver foundational skills and better learning outcomes for children, including marginalised groups of children.
NAN reports that the PLANE seeks to unlock governance bottlenecks for better education service delivery; improvements in the regulation of the non-state sector; and embedding the use of data and evidence within the education system.
PLANE will also work in Kano, Jigawa, the South-West, South-East (subject to FCDO confirmation) and the FCT. (NAN)
