Kaduna, Nigeria – In a renewed effort to tackle illiteracy and promote inclusive education, a foundational literacy and numeracy program has been launched across all 23 local government areas (LGAs) of Kaduna State, reaching over 150 communities and directly impacting more than 6,000 out-of-school children from underserved, vulnerable, and less privileged backgrounds.
The initiative is designed to complement the efforts of the Kaduna State Government and bridge the literacy gap in the North-West region, particularly in Kaduna. It focuses on delivering non-formal education services to communities where access to conventional schooling is limited.
Ambassador Umar Mohammed Dangiwa, the state mentor of the program, disclosed this while addressing journalists in Kaduna during the delivery of learning materials worth millions of naira. The materials include workbooks on literacy and numeracy, solar-powered radio sets, pencils, crayons, and sharpeners.
According to Amb. Dangiwa, the program will support out-of-school children to gain essential literacy and numeracy skills, preparing them for future educational opportunities and self-reliance.
An official partnership was sealed last week through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Kaduna State Agency for Mass Literacy and Community Aid Connect, signed at the Kaduna State Secretariat.
Over 150 qualified facilitators have been verified and screened at each of the 23 LG headquarters. These facilitators will be responsible for managing the non-formal learning centers and will work closely with the Education and Social Development Departments of their respective LGAs to ensure compliance, monitoring, and effective delivery.
As part of the public awareness strategy, educational radio programs will be broadcast every Thursday and Friday from 11:03 am to 11:30 am on Vision FM Kaduna, allowing for wider community participation and engagement.
The program is a significant stride in advancing the right to education for all children, regardless of social or economic background, and aims to drive sustainable development through literacy and empowerment at the grassroots level.
