U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) has provided a peaceful environment for basic education and psycho-social support to more than 80,000 out-of-school youth in northeast.
The U.S. Embassy on Tuesday in Abuja quoted , USAID Mission Director Stephen Haykin as saying the five north east states would benefit from Education Crisis Response (ECR).
ECR, he said, had kicked off in Bauchi and Maiduguri.
He said that many of the children and youth especially the physically challenged who had been traumatized by violence were unable to access mainstream education.
According to him through the ECR activity, USAID in conjunction with state governments and civil society organisations established more than 1,400 non-formal learning centers.
The centre, he said, focused on teaching literacy and basic mathematics, and provided socio-emotional learning activities to mitigate the negative effects of violent extremism, strengthen participants’ resilience, and build trust.
He said that more than 800 instructors, known as learning facilitators, were trained to staff the centres.
“The three-year, $24.7 million activity was being implemented through a collaborative effort involving USAID, state governments and civil society organizations.
“This is done in concert with traditional and religious leaders, community coalitions, International Rescue Committee, Florida State University, the Civil Society Action Coalition on Education for All, and the Federation of Muslim Women Society in Nigeria,” he said.
“`The Education Crisis Response activity helped to answer widespread demand for quality secular, primary education in northeast Nigeria,” he said.
The programme would help to maintain commitment to marginalized children and youth in the northeast and look forward to continuing “our partnership with Nigeria to strengthen education across the country’’.
He said that for some 22,000 older learners, a nine-month basic education curriculum was complemented by market-oriented vocational skills that helped participants generate income for their families.
“Additional special Adolescent Girl Centres help teenage girls heal, learn, and gain valuable life skills. Other centers were developed specifically for younger girls and boys.
“Through the ECR activity, more than 11,000 teachers in the formal sector received training on socio-emotional learning and enhanced basic education instructional techniques.
“This increased their ability to cope with trauma and enabled them to support displaced learners who moved into mainstream classes,” he said.
According to him an initial assessment showed more than nine out of 10 teachers had experienced trauma themselves as a result of the conflict.
He quoted Lillian, a 14-year old graduate of a learning centre in Bauchi as saying, “I am enjoying school now”.
“When I attended previous schools, there was no peace. Now we can give our full attention to the class. We can concentrate and understand what is being taught.
“I will study hard, and hope someday to achieve my ambition of becoming a nurse.” (NAN)
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