By Ijeoma UKAZU
In a bid to improve the educational system in Nigeria, the European Union, EU, and the United Nations Children’s Fund, UNICEF, have built the capacity of 50 government education officers in north-east to improve the quality of data and evidence available to formulate impactful policies and drive targeted investments.
In a statement made available to our correspondent, UNICEF said the training is on Education Management Information System, EMIS, for key partners in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe which will lead to the generation of credible data and broader indicators to help education managers and policy makers design interventions that meet the learning needs of all vulnerable children in north-east.
The statement reads; “For the first time, data on out-of-school children, children attending Tsangaya and Islamiyya schools and non-formal education pathways will be captured and stored digitally to improve education planning and targeting services to support girls and boys.
“The protracted security crisis in north-east Nigeria has exacerbated the weakness of basic social services delivery depriving children of their right to education, protection, and many other critical services. Children in north-east Nigeria are among the most conflict-affected and educationally disadvantaged in the world. In Adamawa, Borno and Yobe states, 1.9 million conflict-affected boys, girls and adolescents are without access to basic quality education.
“Since 2012, 31 percent of all schools in north-east Nigeria have been hit, at least once by bullets, shells, or shrapnel. Ten percent have been deliberately set on fire and 26 percent targeted by suicide bombers. At 47.3 percent, almost half of all schools in the region require rehabilitation.
“A strengthened EMIS will facilitate efficient information gathering, data analysis and support targeted interventions to address the subsisting gaps in the education sector created by the conflict and other factors.”
The Chief of Maiduguri Field Office, UNICEF Phuong Nguyen said “UNICEF is excited to support Governments in north-east Nigeria to gain timely and credible data to support evidence-based planning for the education sector.
“For conflict-affected children across north-east Nigeria, it means one thing – schools will have adequate teachers, more inclusive and child-friendly learning environment, including safe classrooms, gender-segregated toilets and water points as enablers to stay in school, transition, complete their education and contribute positively to the society.
