Kano to mainstream PLANE reforms as UK education programme ends

The Kano State Government has pledged to sustain the reforms introduced under the United Kingdom-funded Partnership for Learning for All in Nigeria (PLANE) programme as the initiative transitions out of the state after five years of implementation.

Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf gave the assurance during the PLANE Transition Workshop in Kano, saying his administration would institutionalise the programme’s key interventions to improve access to quality education and strengthen learning outcomes across the state.

Represented by the Commissioner for Education, Dr. Ali Abubakar Haruna Makoda, the governor said education remains a top priority of his administration and reaffirmed the government’s commitment to building on the achievements recorded under the programme.

According to a statement issued by the governor’s spokesperson, Sunusi Bature Dawakin Tofa, Yusuf said the state would strengthen education planning, expand teacher development initiatives, improve access to teaching and learning materials and ensure that every child has the opportunity to receive quality basic education.

He praised the United Kingdom’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, Save the Children International and other development partners for supporting education reforms in Kano.

The governor noted that the programme had helped generate reliable data on out-of-school children through a statewide household survey, providing government with evidence to develop targeted interventions to tackle the challenge.

He also highlighted improvements in foundational literacy and numeracy achieved through teacher training and the distribution of instructional materials to schools.

Yusuf assured stakeholders that the state government would preserve the gains of the programme by integrating its reforms into existing education policies and strengthening collaboration with development partners.

As part of the workshop, the Kano State Ministry of Education presented a Letter of Appreciation to the PLANE programme for its contributions to education development, particularly its support for the Accelerated Basic Education Programme. The award was received by Save the Children International’s Education Manager, Stephen Sawa.

The transition workshop was attended by representatives of the British High Commission, UNICEF, civil society organisations, development partners and senior government officials, who endorsed strategies aimed at ensuring government ownership and the long-term sustainability of the programme’s achievements.