KATSINA — Katsina State has launched the Scaling Access and Learning in Education (SCALE) Programme, an initiative aimed at improving foundational literacy and numeracy among more than 3,800 learners in the state and Zamfara.
The programme, supported by the United Kingdom’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) and implemented with partners including TaRL Africa, uses the Teaching at the Right Level (TaRL) approach to teach children according to their actual learning abilities rather than simply their age or grade.
Launching the programme on Thursday at the Banquet Hall of the Katsina Government House, Governor Dikko Umaru Radda said enrolment in school was only the beginning, stressing that the ultimate objective must be measurable learning.
“Education is not simply about getting a child into school. Access to school is only the beginning; learning is the ultimate objective,” Radda said.
He added that children must not only attend school but also learn in safe and inclusive environments.
The governor said the SCALE Programme would complement his administration’s efforts to expand access to education, strengthen teachers’ capacity and provide learning opportunities for children whose education had been disrupted.
Radda said the state would continue to adopt evidence-based interventions and integrate successful approaches into its education system to ensure their sustainability.
“Our ambition is to build an education system that can continuously improve, where approaches that demonstrate value and produce results can be properly integrated and sustained within the state education system,” he said.
The governor also described development partners as strategic partners in education, saying their contribution extends beyond funding to include knowledge, innovation, expertise and sustainable solutions.
He assured teachers, facilitators and other personnel involved in the programme of continued government support, including consideration of their welfare and allowances.
Mr Ian Attfield
Representing the British High Commission to Nigeria, Mr Ian Attfield commended the Katsina Government for its commitment to improving learning outcomes and strengthening education partnerships.
He described Teaching at the Right Level as an evidence-based approach that enables teachers to determine what children actually know and tailor instruction to their specific learning needs.
Attfield said foundational literacy and numeracy were critical to children’s future educational and economic opportunities.
He noted that the UK had maintained a long-standing partnership with Nigeria and Katsina in areas including girls’ education, teacher development and support for vulnerable learners.
He said the SCALE Programme would build on lessons from previous interventions while strengthening the capacity of teachers and education practitioners.
Attfield also highlighted the impact of insecurity and displacement on children’s education in northern Nigeria, saying flexible and evidence-based learning pathways were needed to ensure that vulnerable children were not left behind.
“Far too many children in Northern Nigeria have been denied access to quality education. We must all step up to open flexible, evidence-backed pathways for learning to ensure that no child is left behind,” he said.
He expressed the British Government’s readiness to continue working with Katsina, Zamfara and other stakeholders to strengthen the programme.
The Executive Secretary of the Katsina State Development Management Board, Dr Mustapha Shehu, said the launch marked the transition of the programme from its pilot phase to the scale-up phase.
He said the TaRL approach would improve learning opportunities, particularly for formerly out-of-school children and learners whose education had been interrupted.
According to Shehu, the programme combines accelerated learning with TaRL methodology, learner support, safeguarding and inclusive teaching.
“The pilot phase has provided valuable lessons, experiences and evidence that will guide the scale-up phase,” he said.
He commended the FCDO, TaRL Africa and other development partners for their support and assured stakeholders of continued backing from state education institutions.
The SCALE Nigeria partnership is implementing TaRL-enhanced accelerated basic education interventions in Katsina and Zamfara states, targeting more than 3,800 learners through over 50 learning centres, with more than 100 facilitators.
The programme is being implemented in collaboration with the Katsina State Development Management Board, State Universal Basic Education Board, State Agency for Mass Education and the National Commission for Almajiri and Out-of-School Children Education, among other stakeholders.
The initiative seeks to strengthen foundational literacy and numeracy and equip more children with the skills needed to succeed in school and beyond.
