A Uk-funded educational support programme, Partnership for Learning for All in Nigeria (PLANE), has identified shortage of teachers and learning materials in schools in Jigawa State as an impediment to learning in the state.
The PLANE’s state team lead, Mustapha Ahmed, disclosed this on Tuesday while presenting findings of a learning outcome assessment at the Manpower Development Institute (MDI) in Dutse, the state capital.
According to him, the findings revealed that teacher and material shortage, as well as pupil and teacher absenteeism in schools were slowing down efforts to improve learning outcomes in the state.
Ahmed noted that the results indicated that in the seven local government areas where PLANE intervenes, about 32% of schools have two staff or less to teach all six grades of primary classes.
The team lead also disclosed that schools in the LGAs have an average of 114 children per teacher, which is more than three times UNESCO’s recommended Pupil-Teacher Ratio, PTR, of 35:1, and almost three times Jigawa State’s target Pupil-to-Qualified-Teacher Ratio, PTQR, of 45:1.
“PLANE’s data, collated through its assessment and data received from School Support Officers showed that both teachers and learners demonstrated high levels of absenteeism.
“It also showed that only 51% of children have access to exercise books and pencils. This means that about half of children don’t have the materials required to learn,” he lamented.
Ahmed, therefore, charged education stakeholders from the state Ministry of Education, State Universal Basic Education Board, SUBEB, and LGAs to work towards addressing the identified systemic challenges in the schools.
“The current government’s investment in education of about 32 per cent budget allocation 2024 should be focused on key areas to address the dismal performance of children.
“LGA councils must empower the LGEAs to monitor schools and provide necessary learning support including materials,” said Ahmed.
Also, speaking at the event, the chairman of Dutse Local Government Area, Dr Sibu Abdullahi, promised to rally all other local government chairmen in the State to address the situation.
“Education should be given a priority. Let me assure you that we are really committed to education, more particularly at the primary and JSS levels. The issue that has been tabled and the data that has been released today is realistic.
“I make a commitment and I promise that something should be given to LGAs each month from the Local Governments, and we will sensitise more local government chairs to see that at least no matter what, they give something to run the LGEAs. The current administration is fully committed and we will try our best,” Abdullahi said.
Responding to the findings, participants ranging from officials from the State Ministry of Basic Education, State Universal Basic Education Board, Local Government Education Authorities, CSOs and other education stakeholders, all agreed on the need to address the situation immediately.
LEADERSHIP reports that PLANE is a UK-funded education programme currently working with the federal and target state governments to improve learning outcomes.
PLANE highlighted the challenges after two years of programming in the state.
In Jigawa State, PLANE has worked with government partners to implement literacy and mathematics programming in Dutse, Gagarawa, Jahun, Kafin Hausa, Malam Madori, Taura and Yankwashi LGAs, reaching 145,289 children in Primary 1-3 across 750 schools.
The programme has recorded significant progress with learners advancing in literacy and mathematics, to see larger gains.
