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EU, UNICEF to enroll 1.5m children, youths in Jigawa, Katsina, Kano

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EU, UNICEF to enroll 1.5m children, youths in Jigawa, Katsina, Kano
Kano- The European Union (EU), in collaboration with United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), has pledged to enroll and skill 1.5 million children, youths and adolescents in Jigawa, Katsina and Kano states.
Michael Banda, Senior Education Manager,  UNICEF, Kano Field Office, made the pledge at a multi- sectoral key stakeholders meeting on education and youths empowerment project on Wednesday in Kano.
He said that the programme was aimed at increasing the number of girls and boys benefiting from safe, inclusive, relevant learning and skills development opportunities in Kano, Jigawa and Sokoto states.
Banda said the four-year programme which commenced from October 2023 to August 2027, would cover Kano, Jigawa and Sokoto states.
“The programme operation is categorised into three main outputs involving strengthened education governance and learning, expanded access to safe and inclusive learning environment and giving quality, continuous learning and enhanced competencies.”
The education manager pointed out that in Nigeria, many children between seven and 14 could not read or write simple sentence.
“Our aim is for them to get skill that will make them competitive, marketable and self sustaining, to start a business.
“We are also looking at Integrated Qur’anic School because we have Qur’anic schools that do an integrated curriculum which includes literacy and numeracy beyond the religious education.
“We are going to catch everyone, including those who do not have space in the formal school,” he said.
Banda said that Kano State had been selected to be one of the top beneficiaries of the newly introduced European Union-funded education and empowerment programme in Nigeria.
According to him, Kano will have the lion share of the project because of its population and the number of out-of-school children.
He said that EU  was not only concentrating its resources in Kano, but in Northwest, Northeast and other states in Nigeria.
The UNICEF education manager added that the EU was an all-weather partner for UNICEF and various states in ensuring that all children accessed quality education.
Earlier, the Commissioner for Education, Alhaji Umar Doguwa, commended the development partners for the gesture.
He restated the state government’s commitment to invest in education sector.

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Education

Katsina: Tinubu group unveils CBT coaching for 2,250 JAMB candidates

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A political support group, Tinubu/Dikko Assured (TDA 2027), has launched a free computer training programme for 2,250 Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) candidates across Katsina State.

The initiative was meant for candidates whose registration was sponsored by the campaign group, under the leadership of Umar Ahmad-Zayyad.

The training was officially launched for more than 1,000 students from Katsina Zone, on Thursday, at the state Institute of Technology and Management (KTSIM).

Speaking at the event, the Katsina State Coordinator of the group, Ibrahim Khalil, explained that the initiative is just one of several programmes being implemented by the organisation.

Speakers at the event commended the efforts of the organisation, particularly its commitment to promoting educational development in the state.

The state Deputy Chairman of the All Progressive Congress (APC), Bala Musawa, urged the candidates to remain focused and take full advantage of the training.

According to Musawa, such attention will enable the beneficiaries to achieve the intended objectives of the programme.

Member representing Katsina Local Government in the State Assembly, Aliyu Abubakar-Albaba, commended the gesture, calling on other groups to also emulate.

In his remarks, TDA patron, Dr Muttaka Rabe-Darma, assured adequate support to equip the candidates with the required knowledge that will help them to pass the examination.

Also speaking, the TDA leader, Zayyad-Ahmad, pledged to sponsor the first school registration for those who score 200 marks or above in the examination.

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Katsina inaugurates committee to domesticate safe schools policy

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The Katsina State Government has taken a decisive step toward strengthening safety in schools across the state, with the inauguration of a Steering Committee on Safe Schools.

The programme, held on Thursday in Katsina, was supported by the Education Cannot Wait (ECW) project, aimed at domesticating and implementing the National Safe Schools Policy (NSSP).

Speaking at the event, the Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Yusuf Suleiman, described the inauguration as a landmark moment in the state’s efforts to ensure that every child learns in a safe, secure environment free from fear, violence, and other threats.

According to him, the state government recognises that meaningful learning can only take place where safety, dignity, and protection are guaranteed for both students and educators.

He reiterated that education remained a top priority of the administration of Gov. Dikko Radda, noting that the government had continued to invest in policies and programmes aimed at improving the welfare of children and strengthening the education system.

Suleiman pointed out that schools across the state face a range of risks, including insecurity, natural hazards, and other forms of violence, stressing that addressing such challenges requires coordinated efforts among relevant stakeholders.

The commissioner explained that the newly inaugurated committee would provide strategic leadership and coordinate efforts among government ministries, security institutions, civil society organisations, development partners and local communities.

He added that the steering committee would also oversee the domestication and effective implementation of the NSSP in the state.

Suleiman assured that the state government was fully committed to domesticating the policy to ensure the protection of school environment and uninterrupted learning for children across the state.

He also acknowledged the role of development partners, especially Save the Children International (SCI), which implements the ECW project, and UNICEF, in supporting the initiative.

Earlier, the Deputy Director of Programme Influencing at Save the Children, Badar Musa, said the initiative follows Nigeria’s endorsement of the Safe Schools Declaration in 2015.

According to him, the declaration provides a framework and minimum standards for protecting schools nationwide.

Musa explained that states across the federation were encouraged to establish steering committees to domesticate and implement the policy at the state level.

He commended Katsina State for taking the step, describing it as a demonstration of strong commitment to child protection and school safety.

According to Musa, Katsina will become the fifth state in the country to domesticate the NSSP once the process is completed.

He stressed that schools must remain safe spaces for learning and warned against the use of school facilities as operational bases by security forces.

The deputy director noted that such actions could expose students and teachers to risks during attacks.

He further highlighted the role of the National Safe Schools Response Coordination Centre, which monitors threats and coordinates interventions aimed at preventing attacks on schools.

The commissioner said the centre had successfully prevented hundreds of attempted attacks on schools across the country between February 2023 and December 2025.

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SCI supports 1,052 out-of-school children in Adamawa

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Save the Children International (SCI) has launched the distribution of learning materials to 1,052 vulnerable out-of-school children in nine communities in Yola-South Local Government Area of Adamawa.

Speaking at the event on Tuesday, SCI Education Officer, Maryam Neol, said the intervention was implemented under the Education Cannot Wait (ECW) project.

She explained that the initiative aimed to accelerate access to inclusive and quality education while building a resilient and sustainable learning system for children excluded from formal schooling.

According to her, beneficiaries will undergo a nine-month accelerated learning programme before being integrated into formal schools, while some will receive skills acquisition training.

“The programme is structured to equip the children with foundational literacy and numeracy skills required for a smooth transition into conventional classrooms,” she said.

Neol listed benefiting communities as Yelwa, Wuro-Cheki, Namtari, Damare, TC Demonstration, Wuro-Jabbe, Walowol Gugu, Wuroyanka and Ngurore Central.

The Commissioner for Education and Human Capital Development, Garba Pella, commended SCI for supporting efforts to reduce the number of out-of-school children in the state.

Represented by Director Alhaji Bappa Mohammed, Pella said the intervention aligned with government’s commitment to expanding access to basic education.

He urged parents and community leaders to support the accelerated learning programme, emphasizing that they should ensure beneficiaries take full advantage of the opportunity to secure a better future.

Also speaking, Mr Stephen Medugu, Coordinator of the Education in Emergency Working Group, lauded SCI’s intervention and encouraged parents to prioritise their children’s education.

A community leader in Samunaka, Malam Shuaibu Ali, appreciated SCI and its partners but expressed concern over insecurity affecting schools in the area.

Ali said incidents of harassment involving students and teachers had been recorded, and appealed to the state government to strengthen security to create a safer learning environment.

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