Uplifting the standard of education to international global practice has been identified as one of the cardinal objectives of the Ganduje led administration.
Secretary to the state government, Alhaji Usman Alhaji made the assertion during the official launching of the Nigeria Learning Passport (NLP) at state level, held in Kano.
According to him, the present administration under the leadership of Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje had prioritize education to the highest level.
Alhaji Usman Alhaji explained that for the last three years, education had received the largest share in the budget to achieve the desired objectives.
The Secretary to the state government said, the theme of the event was a clear indication of how the state is committed to the development of education, as the Nigeria learning passport was an eye opener in the process of the state’s education endevour.
While commending United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), and other development partners for making the e-learning passport a reality, he charged instructors and parents to compliment governments efforts by sending their children to schools to acquire education.
In a goodwill message, Chief of field office, UNICEF Kano, Mr. Serekeberehan Seyoum said UNICEF is working with development partners and civil society organizations to ensure that children have access to qualitative education.
He stressed that over five million children were targeted in Kano as report indicates that Nigeria has one of the largest young population in the world.
The officer in charge said, with improvements in digital connectivity, skills, and development, Nigeria can fully unleash new economic opportunities, create jobs, and transform people’s lives.
“I see the deployment of the Learning Passport as an opportunity to narrow digital inequalities, reach the most marginalized, empower girls and young women, and prepare workforces for the future”.
Earlier in her welcome address, the Permanent Secretary, Kano state Ministry of Education, Hajiya Lauratu Ado Diso pointed out that, NLP was initiated to bridge the gap and make learning easier.
The Permanent Secretary, who was represented by the Executive Secretary Kano State Senior Secondary Schools Management Board, Dr. Bello Shehu added that it was also an electronic distant learning platform fortified with both audio, and video for intended beneficiaries for self based learning.
“It is also aimed at mitigating the challenges of unqualified teachers”.
Unveiling the program, NLP Team leader, Nasiru Abdullahi Kwalli explained that the universal programme was a joint partnership between Microsoft with technical support from UNICEF, while the bulk of financial support comes from World Bank.
He said the Application has different languages and switches to accommodate mother tongue and designed to cater for emergencies when schools are not accessible, stressing that no fewer than 25m pupils are expected to utilize the application by the end of 2025.
“It enables states to develop their local content and host it. We have content developers, productions studio where local content are develop and uploaded in the website.”
Radio Nigeria reports that, the official launching of the Nigeria learning passport at state level witnessed large turn out of learners, instructors, government officials, UNICEF and other relevant development partners in the educational sector.
KHADIJAH ALIYU