UK-funded PLANE program aids 2 million children in Nigeria

The UK-funded Partnership for Learning for All in Nigeria (PLANE) has supported over two million children and trained more than 25,000 teachers and facilitators across northern Nigeria since its launch in 2019. At the program's close-out event in Kaduna, stakeholders warned that the progress made could be reversed unless state governments take ownership and provide ongoing funding.

British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Pete Vowles, emphasized the importance of collaboration among governments, teachers, and communities in improving education outcomes. Kaduna State Governor, Senator Uba Sani, represented by Deputy Hadiza Sabuwa Balarabe, called on state governments to maintain the program's achievements, noting an increase in basic school enrollment from 2.17 million in 2022 to over 2.57 million in 2025.

The Acting Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Education, Dr. Folake Olatunji-David, highlighted the need for attention to school attendance and foundational learning. The Borno State Commissioner for Education, Engr. Abba Lawan Wakilbe, stated that the program's legacy would depend on future actions by governments.