Education

UNICEF Support Over 300,000 Borno Children, Youths Access Education

Written by Godwin Duru

The United Nations Children Education Fund UNICEF has supported over three hundred thousand children and youths to access formal and informal education in Borno state. 

UNICEF Education Manager Maiduguri Field Office Paola Ripamonti stated this at a media briefing in Maiduguri. 

Miss Ripamonti is speaking on the backdrop of EduTrac mobile phone-based data collection system and mainstreaming of psychosocial support into formal education in Borno state. 

According to the UNICEF Manager, one hundred and two thousand children have access to inclusive, equitable and quality education in a safe and protective learning environment in six local areas of the state.

She remarked that about thirty thousand out-of-school youths and adolescents have been supported with vocational skills and have been mainstreamed into formal education in their liberated communities. 

“UNICEF piloted this intervention in 10 schools across six local government areas in partnership with Borno state Universal Basic Education Board with the support of European Union and other partners” Ripamonti said.

On the EduTrac system, Paola Ripamonti explained that is a tool aimed at improving quality education and identify bottlenecks at school level such as absenteeism, student-teacher ratio and overcrowding. 

Director School Services State Universal Basic Education Board Alhaji Ali Dogo said Boko Haram insurgents have completely razed down 512 schools and killed six hundred teachers in Borno state during the twelve years of the crisis.

He called on international organisations and donor agencies to support orphans of the slain teachers in areas of education and vocational skills. 

Cov/Dauda Iliya