The Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education in Niger, in collaboration with UNICEF, has successfully trained 500 teachers to improve educational access for underserved and disadvantaged children within the region.
The three-day training programme focused on educators from the Munya, Shiroro, and Suleja local government areas, utilising the Nigerian Learning Passport (NLP) platform.
Bala Dada, an education officer at UNICEF’s Kaduna Field Office, announced plans to register and enrol 50,000 children on the NLP platform, providing them with essential courses.
He emphasised that the training aimed to equip teachers with the necessary knowledge and skills to effectively use the NLP platform for both learning and learner enrolment.
Mr Dada highlighted that investing in teacher capacity is vital for maintaining educational access in remote and insecure regions. “Trained teachers will adopt blended learning approaches to extend education to displaced and vulnerable students,” he stated.
He further noted that this initiative will enhance educational opportunities for disadvantaged children and ensure the continuity of learning in areas affected by crises.
Farouk Mashegue, the UNICEF focal point within Niger’s Ministry of Education, also remarked that the training was designed to strengthen teachers’ abilities to overcome challenges related to educational access, retention, and quality learning.
Mr Mashegue explained that the educators were instructed on how to deliver blended learning through the NLP platform, as well as on the enrolment process, digital literacy skills in basic ICT, mobile applications, and data entry.
Additionally, he mentioned that the training encompassed psychosocial support, inclusive teaching methodologies for crisis-affected communities, record management, monitoring systems, and strategic teacher assignments to local government areas.
(NAN)
