Education

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children playing outside a school
USAID education programs promote learning in educationally disadvantaged States in northern Nigeria, training teachers, increasing community involvement, and supporting infrastructure improvements for schools. Photo: Jide Adeniyi-Jones

The quality of basic education in Nigeria is extremely poor, leading to low demand and unacceptably low academic performance.  There are 30 million primary school-aged children in the country, of whom an estimated seven million are not enrolled in school.  Of those currently in primary school, less than one third will attend junior secondary schools and even fewer will proceed to senior secondary. Nigeria has a massive number of out-of-school children and young adults with limited literacy and numeracy skills who have little hope of ever joining the formal workforce.  While education indicators are poor nationwide, the greatest need for assistance is in the predominantly Muslim north. 

 

Education Strategy:

USAID/Nigeria understands that education is the foundation on which any development intervention is built.  A literate society is better able to result in productive, democratically-minded, active, and healthy citizens.  Therefore, the Mission’s education activities are designed to improve the quality of basic education, which will contribute to a sustainable pool of skilled labor while supporting the development of Nigeria’s young democracy and promoting domestic stability.  USAID/Nigeria’s education programs support the goals and objectives of the U.S. Presidential African Education Initiative (AEI) as well as the Nigerian Ministry of Education’s roadmap for the education sector.

USAID/Nigeria’s interventions strengthen state and local government capacity to deliver basic education services by addressing the management, sustainability, and oversight inadequacies of basic education in the Mission’s two Focus States in northern Nigeria (Bauchi and Sokoto).  USAID/Nigeria also provides assistance to the National Commission for Colleges of Education, which provides teacher education and implements Nigeria’s National Teacher Education Policy. The Commission monitors the standards of practice and the curriculum for the primary education studies, pre-school studies and for the Bachelors in Education Degree in primary and pre-school studies.  Working with SESAME WORKSHOP, USAID/Nigeria has created an indigenous Nigerian TV-based program and related instructional materials that address pre-school issues, with a special focus on learning skills development and orphans and vulnerable children.

USAID/Nigeria has conducted a household-based education data survey which has provided data at state, regional, and federal levels that provides base-line information for the Mission, other donors, and the Government of Nigeria.  The Mission strengthens the capacity of governmental and non-governmental institutions to deliver formal and non-formal education services to the pre-primary school population as well as marginalized out-of-school children, including itinerant Qu’ranic students (Almajiri) and girls.  USAID/Nigeria will focus on implementing the National Teacher Education Policy and supporting the creation of policies in support of girls’ education, national reading standards, and community participation in basic education.

 

Activities Include:

Northern Education Initiative (NEI)
Life of Project:  2009 – 2013
Funding:  $43,600,000
Implementing Partner:  Creative Associates International Inc.
Geographic Focus:  Bauchi and Sokoto States

SESAME SQUARE NIGERIA
Life of Project:  2008 – 2014
Funding:  $3,800,000
Implementing Partner:  Sesame Workshop
Geographic Focus:  Nationwide

American Educators for Africa Program (AEFA)
Implementing Partner: The International Foundation for Education and Self-Help
Geographic Focus: Kano State

 

Expected Results:

  • Strengthened key education management systems in target states
  • Strengthened delivery of teacher training services for primary schools
  • Improved capacity to develop and deliver education services to at-risk populations
  • Improved student performance
  • Policy decisions based on strategic information at state and local levels