Bauchi launches UNESCO education programme

Governor Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed of Bauchi State has flagged off the official commencement of an educational programme in the state, tagged ‘School Meet the Learner Approach Program’ (SMLA) initiated by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) with the aim of improving education delivery process.

The flagging off was done by the State Governor, Sen Bala Mohammed Abdulkadir late Tuesday evening at the Banquet Hall of the Government House pledging to ensure immediate payment of all the outstanding counterpart funding for the organisation’s intervention.

The governor observed that the new approach of learning will no doubt assist teachers to structure, sequence and plan out learning goals for the specific instructional period for the achievement of a larger and long term educational goals.

Bala Mohammed also noted that the project will ginger and empower teeming girls and women to remain in school to aspire for higher education by supporting them to overcome the barriers that hinder the opportunity for girl child education in various communities of the state.

He said that “As we gathered here today for this important event, we should be looking for a complete package of supporting girls and women to remain focused on their educational development as well as promote better society as the popular saying goes, “Investing in Women Education is investing in the nation.”

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The governor added that “It is a project aimed at providing basic literacy and livelihood skills to Girls and Women in Bauchi State in order to reduce the imbalances and disparities in the education of males and females over a period of 2 years.”

He further assured of the readiness of the government to do everything to ensure the sustenance of the project and replicated to other Local Government Areas of the state.

The governor said that in recognition of the importance of education to national development, quality of lives and other social benefits, his administration had collaborated with the United Nations Agencies and other development partners to ensure people gain access to education, especially at the basic level.

To this end, Bala Mohammed said that the state government is fulfilling all pledges and payment of counterpart funds to various Ministries, Departments and Agencies that are responsible for the provision of education in the state.

The governor then announced the release of the sum of N54,6000,000:00 counter funding to UNESCO by the state government for the procurement of customised mobile devices in addition to the ones donated by the organisation.

He said that “We are not unmindful of the importance of educating individuals within the society to prepare them for work in the economy as well as integrate people into society by teaching them values and morals”.

Bala Mohammed, therefore, called on the implementing agencies particularly, Bauchi State Agency for Mass Education (BASAME) and the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB ) to ensure the success of the project through intensive monitoring and supervision.

While giving his remarks, the Acting Director and Head of the UNESCO Education Sector, Lamine Sow explained the rationale behind the introduction of the program which he said is at the pilot stage in 6 LGAs of Bauchi State.

Mr Lamine Sow who is the Head of Regional Office of UNESCO in Abuja said that empowerment of women and girls in literacy and skills development through the use of technology is one of the priority area of UNESCO in a bid to achieve excellent results in education.

Lamine Sow further explained that the project was initiated to eradicate the scourge of out-of-school children not only in Bauchi State but across the country as the program is intended to be a National program.

He then assured that implementation of the program depends on the support of the government by way of the release of the counterpart funds for the program to enable it to go round the target audience.

Earlier in a welcome address, the State Commissioner for Education, Dr Aliyu Tilde said that 50,000 indigenes of the state are expected to benefit from the UNESCO’s School Meet the Learner Approach Program in 6 Local Government Areas of Alkaleri, Bauchi, Dass, Katagum, Warji and Tafawa Balewa.

Aliyu Tilde then expressed confidence that the implementation of the program in the state will improve literacy and other educational capabilities of beneficiaries at the grassroots.

The beneficiaries of the program are expected to learn the basic subjects through iPads devices that have been programmed to teach them through instructions in English and Hausa Languages.

NIGERIAN TRIBUNE