The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) says it will train 5, 000 primary school teachers and provide instructional materials to 200 schools to improve the education sector in Gombe State.
The state’s team leader of USAID, Mr Ishyaku Babayo disclosed this in Gombe on Friday during a courtesy call on Governor Inuwa Yahaya in Gombe, the state capital.
“The project with the title: `Strengthening Education in North East Nigeria’ is a three-year project which has ommenced in March 2019 and would run until March 2022.’’
According to him, the project is aimed at developing the capacity of primary school teachers to improve the target schools and the education sector generally in the state.
“Our target is to equip 200 schools with instructional materials and we are well funded for that. We hope to train 5, 000 primary school teachers to improve their capacities to impact on pupils in their schools.
“The training will include how to develop instructional materials from locally sourced materials in the communities. The project has started since March. We have selected six schools from three LGAs.
“The three LGAs are Nafada, Akko and Shongom. That will be for the first phase of the project. The second phase will cover five LGAs while the last phase will cover the remaining three.
“At the end of the project, it is expected that 100 educational managers will also be trained on how to use data for informed decision. We are working with the ministry of education and SUBEB,” he said.
He said that the project would also engage communities where the target schools were situated and sensitise key stakeholders to get the needed supports of the grassroots.Receiving the team, Governor Inuwa Yahaya of Gombe State expressed his excitement with the initiative, while pledging to give all necessary support within the limit of available resources to ensure the success of the project.
Yahaya, while decrying the poor state of the education sector, particularly primary education said that the project was timely.
He thanked the team for identifying with education, adding that “the sector is one of our cardinal priorities because we came into office with the mission for change and hope.
“We all know that education is a powerful tool for change. We will welcome all partnerships to improve the sector because without it, you cannot bring development and good governance to the people,” he said.
