By Najib Sani
The Centre for the Study of the Economies of Africa (CSEA) and Associates for Change (AFC), in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Education (FME) and key partners, have launched the Policy Learning Working Group (PLWG) to support the design, implementation, and scale-up of the Accelerated Education Program (AEP) in Northern Nigeria, particularly Borno State.
During the launching which took place in Abuja recently, the minister of state for education, represented by Dr Claris Ujam, lauded the PLWG, emphasising the ministry’s focus on out-of-school children and data gathering through the Nigerian Education Data Initiative (NEDI).
He said the initiative would create a harmonised data dashboard, enabling NGOs and the ministry to work together more effectively.
Also speaking, the director of research at CSEA, Dr Adedeji Adeniran, highlighted the importance of collaboration among governments, NGOs, and education innovators to improve education in Nigeria.
According to him, the PLWG comprises members from the FME, state universal basic education boards, civil society, and other key development partners.
The director said the programme aims to enhance education outcomes, promote inclusion and resilience, and align education reforms with national goals in Nigeria and beyond.
He noted that the project is funded by Global Partnership for Education Knowledge and Innovation Exchange (GPE-KIX).
While Dr Abubakar Tijani, Special Adviser on Education to the Governor of Borno State, noted that Borno is one of the most affected areas regarding education in emergencies.
He commended the governor’s efforts to mitigate the situation, stressing that violence often stems from idleness rather than illiteracy.
During a three-day stakeholder engagement and co-creation workshop, PLWG members received training on stakeholder mapping, data collection and analysis, monitoring, evaluation, and learning, research ethics, and gender, equity, and social inclusion.