Kaduna: No fewer than 122,050 children affected by crises in Sokoto, Katsina, and Zamfara States have been enrolled in schools by Save the Children International (SCI) through its 'Education Cannot Wait (ECW)' project. Mrs. Atine Lewi, the SCI Programme Manager, disclosed this during a three-day training in Kaduna, which was organised for journalists from Katsina State and Adamawa.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, the project, which runs from October 2024 to February 2026, targets children aged six to 18 who have been displaced or affected by insecurity. Lewi added that the project seeks to provide inclusive, quality education and protection services to ensure that every child, regardless of gender or disability, has access to safe learning environments.
Lewi explained that the enrolment and literacy achievements marked a significant milestone in the organisation's efforts to reduce the number of out-of-school children in Northern Nigeria. "SCI, with support from ECW, had enrolled the children into school and supported them with literacy and numeracy skills to help them reintegrate fully into formal education. We are ensuring that every child affected by the crisis gets a second chance to learn," the SCI programme manager said.
According to her, the project focuses on inclusive education, ensuring that boys, girls, and children with disabilities all benefit equally. She mentioned that it also supports the establishment of Temporary Learning Centres (TLCs) and Alternative Learning Spaces (ALS) where learners receive catch-up classes and psychosocial support before transitioning into mainstream schools.
Lewi further explained that SCI is working closely with the Federal Ministry of Education, State Universal Basic Education Boards (SUBEB), and community-based organisations to strengthen sustainability and local ownership systems. She noted that the project had trained 954 teachers, mostly women, on gender-responsive and inclusive teaching methods to promote safer and more effective classroom engagement.
"Nearly half of the enrolled learners are girls, showing significant progress toward achieving gender balance in school enrolment. Additionally, 52 mentors have been trained to support adolescent girls with leadership, confidence-building, and life skills under the project's adolescent empowerment programme. We're not only sending children to school; we're building an environment where teachers, parents, and communities can sustain education beyond the project's life," Lewi emphasised.