In an effort to enhance literacy and numeracy among school-aged children, UNICEF, in collaboration with TaRL Africa and with support from the European Union, has launched an intensive teacher training initiative targeting educators across Sokoto and Zamfara States.
Speaking during the programme, Michael Juma, Chief of Field Office for UNICEF in Sokoto, described the Teaching at the Appropriate Level (TaRL) initiative as an “evidence-based, cost-effective” educational approach designed to improve foundational skills, especially in reading and mathematics.
“We are currently running a 10-day intensive training with about 20 Local Government Area (LGA) mentors and 392 head teachers drawn from both Sokoto and Zamfara,” Juma explained. “We’ve also scheduled similar sessions for 90 non-formal education teachers and 1,568 primary school teachers in Zamfara.”
Juma emphasised the growing enthusiasm among participants, noting the tangible improvements already observed in learners’ academic performance. “We’ve seen a lot of positive impacts from the TaRL training, particularly in boosting confidence, motivation, and classroom participation. Most children who have gone through TaRL now show improved understanding of basic reading and simple arithmetic.”
The TaRL programme groups children based on their learning levels rather than their age or class, ensuring that instruction is tailored to their actual educational needs. This strategy has been credited with enhancing pupils’ ability to read basic paragraphs and solve elementary mathematical problems.
According to Juma, participants have shown high levels of engagement and commitment, suggesting that the programme has strong potential to significantly improve learning outcomes across the region. “It’s not just about training teachers. We are cultivating a learning environment that meets children where they are and helps them progress confidently.”
The initiative, funded by the European Union and implemented by TaRL Africa under the supervision of UNICEF’s Sokoto Field Office, is part of broader efforts to build a sustainable support system by equipping head teachers and LGA mentors with the tools to provide ongoing coaching and oversight.
Some of the beneficiaries who spoke with our correspondent commended UNICEF for the training, stating that it was a timely intervention to encourage school enrollment.
Hajia Sekina Abubakar, from Isa Local Government, said the training would help teachers relate to pupils better and serve as an encouragement to them.
“This new method of teaching, where both teachers and students will sit on the floor to teach, will definitely encourage the pupils by making them feel equal with their teachers.”
Also speaking, Yusuf Shehu from Wambai Primary School in Kebbe Local Government described the training as a major factor that will help bridge gaps in education at the elementary level.
He, however, promised to ensure that the training is cascaded down to his colleagues so they can also benefit from the new proposed method of teaching and learning.
As the training progresses, education stakeholders remain hopeful that the TaRL approach will serve as a model for foundational learning interventions across Nigeria’s northern states.
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