In a bold move to address the dwindling interest in Education-related courses and the teaching profession, the Honourable Minister of State for Education, Dr. Tanko Yusuf Sununu, has announced a special scholarship initiative. This initiative is set to provide more than N4 billion in scholarships for Students pursuing National Certificates of Education and other Education-related degrees in tertiary institutions across Nigeria.

 

Hon. Dr. Tanko Yusuf Sununu announced this during a meeting with UNESCO Officials, led by Abdourahmane Diallo, UNESCO Country Representative to Nigeria. The gathering highlighted collaborative efforts and forthcoming projects aimed at bolstering the nation’s educational landscape.

 

Dr. Sununu express profound gratitude to the UNESCO team, acknowledging their critical role in supporting Nigeria’s educational initiatives. He emphasized the essential nature of such partnerships in achieving the nation’s educational goals.

 

“UNESCO’s involvement is pivotal to our mission of delivering high-quality Education that equips our Youth with the character and skills necessary for success both locally and internationally,” Dr. Sununu remarked. He stressed the significance of data-driven planning, collection, analysis of educational data to ensure effective resource distribution and address existing challenges.

 

UNESCO Country Representative to Nigeria, Abdourahmane Diallo, provided updates on UNESCO’s ongoing and future projects in Nigeria. He highlighted a newly signed initiative to build teachers’ capacity in Nigeria, explaining that this initiative targets the “T” component of the DOTs program. According to Diallo, the project is a five-year initiative aimed at building teachers’ capacity and resilience. With an estimated budget of €5 million, the project will run from 2024 to 2028 and will benefit the Federal Ministry of Education and six states: Adamawa, Bayelsa, Enugu, Katsina, Oyo, and Plateau. He thereafter asked for the focal Officer in this regard for immediate implementation of the project.

 

Diallo also mentioned additional initiatives, including a Japan-sponsored project focusing on teacher development and the “Better Education for Africa’s Rise” (BEAR) project, Phase III, which promotes better TVET systems in West Africa, with Kano chosen for agriculture and post-harvest processing initiatives.

 

Diallo then announced an upcoming Conference in Paris on June 17, where global leaders, including Nigeria’s representatives, will assess progress and mobilize efforts to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG4) – Quality Education. This Conference aims to rescue and accelerate progress in the sector.

 

Dr. Sununu reaffirmed the Ministry’s commitment to transforming Nigeria’s Education sector through strategic partnerships and innovative projects, marking a significant milestone in this collaborative effort. He concluded that the Ministry will appoint a focal point Officer and constitute a steering committee for the project.