UK-funded Education Programme, PLANE Closes After Reaching 2m Nigerian Children.
The Partnership for Learning for All in Nigeria (PLANE), which worked to improve foundational literacy and numeracy and strengthen education systems across northern Nigeria, formally ended its programme at a close-out event in Kaduna on Wednesday.
Although the UK and its Nigerian partners celebrated the achievements, the central challenge is whether the government can sustain and expand the interventions after the programme’s closure, particularly in communities where children face barriers to quality education.
in a related development, five northern states have pledged to sustain education reforms introduced under PLANE as the programme came to an end.
The commitment was made by education commissioners from the beneficiary states – Kaduna, Kano, Jigawa, Borno and Yobe at the programme’s close out in Kaduna. The programme was funded by the UK and implemented by DAI, UNICEF, Save the Children and consortium partners Speaking at the event, the commissioners commended PLANE for its contributions to teacher development, access to education and the strengthening of education systems and urged the states to build on the gains recorded under the programme. On his part, the British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Pete Vowles, said the programme had demonstrated how collaboration among governments, teachers, communities and development partners could improve children’s access to education and the quality of learning. “While we are celebrating the achievements of the programme today, the most important question is what happens next,” Vowles said.
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