By M.I. Kaduna
The United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF) said for Nigeria and Africa to attain the desired development, attention must be paid to education, health and nutrition of children in the continent. Speaking at the Day of the African Child celebration in Kaduna, Ms. Cristian Munduate, UNICEF-Nigeria country Representative said the Nigeria Learning Passport was launched by the Federal Ministry of Education and UNICEF, in collaboration with partners, to expand access to quality education for children in Nigeria.
She explained that Nigeria Learning Passport program has brought quality teaching and learning resources to 280,000 learners, teachers, parents, and young people across the country .
“If we want a prosperous nation, prosperous Nigeria and prosperous Africa, we have to put children first”,
Ms. Munduate emphasized that the Nigeria Learning Passport not only has the potential to bridge the gap in access to quality education but also promotes inclusiveness through its offline module.
She said this feature enables its deployment in rural and hard-to-reach areas where internet access is limited, saying With the support of partners, the platform aims to help bridge the digital divide.
She said they have provided 13,500 tablets, 1,000 smart rechargeable projectors, and 780 internet routers from Airtel to 780 schools in hard-to-reach and rural areas.
Ms. Munduate stressed the importance of digital technology as a platform for innovation and inclusive quality education for children and emphasized the need to prioritize children’s education for Africa’s development.
Dr. Haliru Soba, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Education, praised the Nigeria Learning Passport and acknowledged that over 100 schools in Kaduna State have already benefited from its implementation. He expressed gratitude to UNICEF and other partners for their support in advancing children’s education in the state.
