FG, UK Mull Plans for Special Education Programme for IDPs

Paul Obi

The federal government and the United Kingdom government have said plans are underway to initiate a special education programme for Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) affected by the Boko Haram insurgency.

This was made public at the just concluded World Education Forum (WEF) in London.

The Minister of State for Education, Prof Anthony Anwukah, who represented the Nigerian government at the meeting, restated the determination of the President Muhammadu Buhari towards retooling the teaching and learning processes with a view to bringing the teaching profession at par with other professional bodies across the globe, and ensuring that IDPs do not lose track of their education.

At the meeting with the British Undersecretary of State for International Development, Mr. Nicholas Hurd, the minister of state harped on the need to strengthen education mechanism that will assist IDPs return back to school for learning and social life.

Anwukah, who also engaged with a number of high level ministerial exchange sessions, reiterated the commitment of the federal government towards supporting IDPs affected by the insurgency in Nigeria.

The minister reiterated the renewed target of the Nigerian government to make significant improvements in teacher quality through the re-certification of teachers and improvement of the teacher training curriculum with more emphasis on pedagogy.

The two ministers also discussed Nigeria’s education priorities, including access to education in situations of crises, quality of teachers’ training and developing research capacity.

They likewise agreed on the importance of donor agencies coordinating their activities under the ministry’s supervision.

Anwukah also used the opportunity to commend the DFID Safe Schools Initiative for providing educational opportunity to children who had been displaced in the North-east.