Nation
Organisation Tasks Kaduna On Foundation For Pupils
The Partnership for Learning for All in Nigeria (PLANE) programme has urged the Kaduna State Universal Basic Education Board to strengthen foundational skills in primary schools.
Making the call on Monday in Kaduna during the dissemination of Baseline Data on Teaching and Learning outcome in primary schools in Kaduna State, PLANE said it would improve learning outcomes.
The State Team Lead, PLANE, Ms Diana Agabi, explained that the assessment indicated areas where PLANE school level technical support to the state would also help to improve education delivery.
Agabi added that the assessment conducted between November and December 2022 covered literacy and numeracy learning levels, inclusive and safe quality classroom instructions, teachers and pupils and attendance rate.
Other areas, she said, included the availability and use of safeguarding policy and availability and use of school report cards.
Also, Mr Musa Adeyemi, PLANE Research and Learning Manager, explained that the baseline study was conducted in 43 primary schools with focus on primary two, four and six in six implementing Local Government Areas (LGAs).
Adeyemi identified the LGAs as Kaduna North, Kaduna South, Soba, Sabon Gari, Jaba, and Sanga.
He explained that a total of 758 pupils and 115 school managers were interviewed in the course of the study in 43 schools.
Presenting the key findings, Mr Gbenga Bamidele, Monitoring and Evaluation Officer, PLANE, said that the findings showed a low learning achievement among pupils.
Bamidele said that 50.6 per cent of Primary Two pupils were unable to identify Hausa letters, while 91.6 per cent were unable to identify Hausa words.
He also said only 17.5 per cent of the pupils could identify a number, while 85.4 per cent of Primary Four pupils were unable to identify a single word in English language.
According to him, the low starting points indicate the need for Kaduna SUBEB to build foundational skills from the beginning of primary school.
On school, teacher, and pupil demography, Bamidele said the findings showed the need for government support for the provision of a conducive environment for learning.
He also called for support to teachers in the efforts to provide the highest level of quality and inclusive instruction in their classrooms.
“A concentrated effort should also be made to provide a more inclusive environment, including identifying Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) Focal Persons at the school level.
“The enrolment of pupils with disabilities is currently low, and school facilities are not available to support their physical inclusion.
“Government should, therefore, ensure appropriate facilities for learners with disabilities,” he said.
This may have measurable effects on learning outcomes”, he said.
The monitoring and evaluation officer also called on the government to provide coaching and mentoring opportunities for all teachers as a strategy to provide individualised teacher professional development.
He also urged the government to leverage on family support for learning outside the schools for lasting impacts on learning outcomes.
The Commissioner for Education, Hajiya Halima Lawal, said that assessment would inform the policy and decision makers in areas where deliberate effort and resources should be channelled.
Lawal, who was represented by the Director, Planning and Physical Development, Mr Salisu Lawal, said the baseline had indicated the challenge, adding that the next phase of assessment should show a significant improvement.
PLANE is a seven-year UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office-funded programme designed to drive inclusive education in Nigeria with improved learning outcome.
The Lagos State Government has disclosed that 26,592 public school students failed the 2024 West African Senior School Certificate Examination, raising alarm across the state’s education sector.
The state Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Jamiu Alli-Balogun, during a ministerial press briefing yesterday in Alausa, Ikeja, said that “45.7 per cent of the 58,188 students from public schools who sat for the exams did not pass.”.
This failure rate comes despite the state government’s significant financial backing N1.577 billion was paid on behalf of the students to cover WAEC fees.
“Suffice to say that the sum of N1,577,794,000 only was paid by the state government as examination fees for 58,188 students who were captured for the year 2024 WASSCE,” Alli-Balogun announced.
In a bid to tighten accountability and avoid wastage, the Commissioner disclosed that biometric and image registration was carried out to accurately determine eligible students for government sponsorship for the 2025 WASSCE.
“The exercise successfully captured and registered 56,134 students as bona fide beneficiaries of the Lagos state government’s sponsorship for the examination,” he added.
However, the Lagos State Government rolled out a bold educational intervention – the Eko Learners’ Support Programme for WASSCE and NECO candidates – aimed at reversing the tide of academic failure in the state’s public schools.
Launched on January 14, 2025, the initiative is part of a broader commitment by the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education to equip Lagos students with tools for success.
“This forward-thinking initiative was designed to support and empower young scholars in attestation of the ministry’s commitment to advancing interest and management of the educational system in Lagos State,” Alli-Balogun stated.
Ekiti State Government says it has vaccinated 226,429 eligible girls in the State against the Human Papilloma Virus, an infection believed to be a leading cause of cervical cancer.
The wife of the Ekiti State Governor, Dr Olayemi Oyebanji, said the HPV immunization exercise, which she flagged off in the State in May 2025 was a great success, noting that it reached targeted communities and protected children against cervical cancer.
The governor’s wife made the disclosure in Ado Ekiti yesterday during a one-day stakeholders’ sensitisation meeting on the introduction of Measles Rubella vaccines in Ekiti State.
She said, “The introduction of Measles Rubella Vaccines is a very crucial step towards protecting Ekiti children particularly the target age group of nine to 14 years from diseases.
“I urge all women in the State to regularly scan their breasts. This can be done with the aid of the Mammography machine which is available at Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital, Ado Ekiti”.
The state Commissioner for Health, Dr Oyebanji Filani, noted that the Measles Rubella vaccines would be rolled out nationally in October, 2025.
Filani said that the State was taking proactive steps to sensitise residents of the State before the date to ensure adequate awareness on the vaccines by citizens.
The Acting Ochimba of Ogida in Etche Local Government Area of Rivers State, Eze Ndudiri Azuatalam, says peace remains paramount in the socio-economic development of Etche land.
Eze Azuatalam, however, called on his people to embrace and eschew violence at all times.
The Onwa Nagbara Oha made the call during the official commissioning of his palace at Ogida recently.
The epoch-making ceremony held at his palace saw the attendance of members of the Etche Supreme Council of Traditional Rulers and Chiefs; the academia; the political class; the clergy ; women as well relevant stakeholders within and outside Etche land.
The Ngbaragida of Azuafor re-emphasised the essence of peace and social harmony which he said open the window for meaningful development to take place.
He also sought the support and collaboration of his people to achieve the desired goals of development, progress and prosperity.
He noted that the peace being witnessed in the area must be sustained through collective effort, saying, contributions and sacrifices need to be made by all concerned to live in peace.
Eze Azuatalam said his aim towards building a better Ogida cannot be compromised as he and his people have no other place called home.
The Acting Ochimba said as part of efforts to build a better Ogida, he has instituted a number of development projects, adding that some of his kinsmen have been empowered through his hard-earned money and resources, saying, he will continue to assist the less- privileged around him.
He reaffirmed his desire to impact positively on the lives of his people as the engagement of the youths will help to reduce social vices in the area.
He thanked members of the Etche Supreme Council of Traditional Rulers and Chiefs for honouring his invitation.
He specifically thanked the Onyi Ishi Etche and Ochie of Etcheland, His Eminence E mmanuel Opurum for leading Etche on the path of prosperity, and described the revered King as a role model to the younger generation.
He said his fatherly role has been a source of hope and inspiration to his subjects.
The palace was unveiled by His Eminence with the assistance of Ochimba of Abara, Eze Jonah Nwala and other prominent Etche traditional rulers and chiefs while the Onyi Ishi Etche was represented by Eze Ken Nwala, Onyi Ishi Agwuru, Ulakwo/ Umuselem Clan.
The Onyi Ishi Etche urged other prominent sons of Etche to emulate the kind gesture of Eze Ndudiri Azuatalam as his magnanimity is being seen and appreciated by his people.
Eze Azuatalam also applauded the efforts of Prof Mekuri Ndimele, former Vice Chancellor of the Ignatius Ajuru University of Education in the growth of Etche land.
According to him, during Ndimele’ s tenure, a lot of development projects were sited at the institution, including the development of Etcheland and empowerment of Etche people.