The European Union (EU) has launched the second phase of its teachers’ education programme in Nigeria.
The programme aims to build the capacity of teachers in the country.
The EU Ambassador to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Samuela Isopi, who spoke at the launch of the programme in Abuja, yesterday, tagged “Expand, Integrate and Strengthen Systems (EISS),” said that the second phase of the programme, which focused on teachers, complements the first phase.
According to Isiopi, the funding for both phases amount to €45.4 million under the Global Gateway Strategy to boost smart, clean and secure connections in digital, energy and transport sectors.
It will also strengthen health, education and research systems across the world.
Isiopi, who was represented by EU’s Head of Human Development, Leila Ben Amor Mathieu, disclosed that the EU, under EISS, would partner with six training colleges in Adamawa, Bayelsa, Enugu, Katsina, Plateau and Oyo states.
According to her, the beneficiary states are expected to in turn reach out to a wider pool of teachers.
UN Resident Coordinator, Mohammed Fall, while commending Nigeria’s effort to meet up with SDG goals, however, lamented the high number of inadequate trained teachers in schools.
On his part, the Minister of Education, Prof. Mamman Tahir, maintained that teachers represent a significant milestone in the collective efforts to transform the educational landscape in Nigeria.
Tahir, who was represented by the Director Basic Education, Dr Folake Olatunji-David, lauded the funding support from the EU, the technical support of UNESCO, as well as the commitment of all the state governments involved in the programme.
The minister, who noted that the project was aimed at improving student attainment and contributing to Nigeria’s human development through an increase in the number of qualified and resilient teachers, added that the project would help in addressing the challenges confronting teachers in the country.
He assured the EU of Nigerian government’s commitment to ensuring every child has access to quality education, adding that the six states will create models of excellence that can be replicated across the country.
