Nigeria (Commonwealth Union)_ In a groundbreaking initiative, UNICEF, as a grant agent of the Global Partnership for Education Accelerated Funding (GPE-AF) project, has announced its commitment to providing education for two million out-of-school children in northeast Nigeria. The project, aimed at enrolling children in schools and ensuring access to quality learning, will be implemented in collaboration with local and international partners, including the Federal Ministry of Education and the governments of Borno, Adamawa, and Yobe States.
The region has been experiencing a prolonged crisis that has compounded the effects of conflict, displacement, and climate-related disasters on children and families, setting the stage for this initiative. The resulting challenges have disrupted essential services, particularly education, leaving a significant number of children without access to schooling. As per the recent UNICEF data, around 10.2 million primary-age kids and 8.1 million secondary-age kids across Nigeria are currently out of school, with 2 million of them hailing from the conflict-affected northeast states of Borno, Adamawa, and Yobe.
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Safiya Yoba Akau, the Communications, Advocacy, Media, and External Relations officer at UNICEF, stressed the urgency of addressing the ongoing education crisis in the region. She stated, “This project aims to tackle the challenges faced by displaced children, who have been deprived of their right to education due to the impact of conflict and environmental disasters”. Cristian Munduate, UNICEF Representative in Nigeria, expressed gratitude for the new funding phase, which is vital for the children in this region. Munduate stated, “UNICEF is grateful for this new funding phase that will guarantee access to education for some of the world’s most disadvantaged children and improve the quality of education services available to them. Education is a right for all children, including those affected by conflict, and it should never be denied.”
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The GPE-AF project, running from 2024 to 2025, has the following key goals: ensuring that displaced children enrol in and complete their education; improving the quality of education through teacher training and the provision of learning materials; and enhancing the education system to foster resilience and equity. This effort follows the success of a previous GPE-AF intervention, which helped more than 180,000 vulnerable children access both formal and non-formal education in 24 local government areas across the region. Moreover, the situation in northeast Nigeria is dire. Fourteen years of ongoing conflict have resulted in displaced families, lost livelihoods, and communities that are in serious need of basic services. In Borno, Adamawa, and Yobe states, 56% of displaced children do not attend school, and only 29% of schools have teachers who meet the minimum qualification standards.
This stark reality underscores the need for urgent interventions like the GPE-AF project to address educational gaps and foster the region’s long-term recovery. Through this initiative, UNICEF, in partnership with the Federal Ministry of Education and the state governments, will work towards rebuilding the education system, ensuring that it not only serves displaced children but is also resilient enough to withstand future challenges. Additionally, the project’s emphasis on teacher training and the provision of educational materials is expected to significantly enhance the quality of education in the region.
UNICEF will continue to collaborate with the Global Partnership for Education and local stakeholders as part of its ongoing efforts to ensure that no child in northeast Nigeria falls behind. Munduate said, “As the world grapples with competing priorities, this new GPE-AF education funding will help ensure that children affected by conflict in northeast Nigeria are not left behind”. The project not only aims to provide immediate educational opportunities, but also aims to create lasting change by strengthening the overall education system and promoting equity in the region. This initiative is a significant step toward ensuring that children in northeast Nigeria can access their right to education, despite the challenges they face.
