The Niger Government on Wednesday said it has received a $6million World Bank grant to get the out-of-school children in the state back to the classroom.
The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education, Alhaji Abubakar Aliyu, disclosed this in Minna, the state capital.
Aliyu said the grant would be utilised by the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB)under the Better Education Service Delivery for All (BESDA) programme. He said: “We have received the $6million grant equivalent to N975 million from the World Bank. “So I want to inform you that we are ready for the programme because we have concluded arrangements and waiting to start.” He said the programme would be implemented in 15 out of the 25 local government areas of the state with a high rate of out-of-school children.
“Niger state is among the 10 states that have the highest number of school dropouts across Nigeria,” he noted, adding that the programme was aimed at improving equitable access to basic education for all children. “The programme which seeks to improve literacy in focal states in the country will also strengthen accountability,’’ the permanent secretary said. Aliyu said the state government had signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Universal Learning System on Jolly phonics to ensure successful implementation of the programme.
By Hamed Shobiye,
Vanguard