NSF Developments Limited has been partnering with the Global Partnership for Education/ Nigeria Partnership for Education Project (GPE/NIPEP) in Kano State to reform Early Childhood Care and Development Education (ECCDE) on behalf of the Kano State Universal Education Board (SUBEB) since July 2018.
During the first phase, NSF worked with twenty ECCDE teachers and ten School Support Officers (SSOs) to improve their pedagogy and content Knowledge. The project consists of three main components, the first being the creation of a child-friendly environment including the renovation of toilets and the provision of water and sanitation facilities, painting of classrooms and the provision of teaching and learning materials. The second component is the training of teachers and SSOs on child development, how children learn, 21st Century child-friendly pedagogy, and early Reading and Numeracy. The third component is the provision of mentoring support to teachers through School Support Visits (SSVs).
The participating schools for the first phase include: Bagwai Model School, Bagwai Local Government Area (LGA); Rimi City Primary School, Municipal; Dawakin Tofa Primary School, Dawakin Tofa; Maigadon Kaya Primary School, Gwale Local Government; Gobirawa Primary School, Fagge LGA; Ajingi Special Primary School, Ajingi LGA; Gaya model, Gaya LGA; Sumaila Special Primary School, Sumaila LGA; Wudil Science Primary School, Wudil LGA; and Garun Babba Area Primary School,, Garun Mallam LGA.
The ten additional participating schools are: Ibrahim Shekarau Primary School, Tarauni LGA; Gwagwarura Special Primary school, Nassarawa LGA; Kwalli Special Primary school, Kano Municipal, Kano LGA; Batta Special Primary School, Danbatta LGA; Kuka Special Primary School, Fagge LGA; Doguwa MPS, Doguwa LGA; Tsanyawa CPS, Tsanyawa LGA; Rano MPS, Rana LGA; Kibiya Special Primary School, Kibiya LGA; and Rimin Gado Special Primary School, Rimin Gado LGA.
As part of the implementation, NSF paid a visit to the schools to ascertain their readiness for intervention in terms of the renovation and upgrade of water and sanitation facilities, infrastructure, renovation of classrooms and provision of furniture. The project also assessed the capacity of teachers to teach and improvise teaching materials, teach early Reading, content knowledge of the teachers and SSOs on ECCDE curriculum, and knowledge of Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics (STEAM Education). The findings from the assessment revealed that teachers need a lot of training and support to become more effective.
A classroom interior of one of the reformed Early Childhood Care and Development Education (ECCDE) in Kano State.
NSF conducted training on how to integrate STEAM Education with everyday curriculum, the production of classroom teaching and learning materials, and also trained teachers on how to teach literacy. The teachers were highly motivated and promised to use the skills and knowledge in facilitating learning. Following the design of the intervention, the teachers will receive additional training on facilitation skills and also mentoring and support visits.
Participants present their output after the production of classroom teaching and learning materials at the training of ECCDE Teachers in Kano State.
At the commencement of the training held on Monday 19 August 2019, the Kano GPE/NIPEP Coordinator, Mallam Abdulshakur Nuhu Abba, welcomed participants and encouraged them to participate effectively. The Permanent Secretary of the Kano State Ministry of Education, Hajiya Lauratu Ado Diso led a delegation of state officials and GPE/NIPEP representatives to observe the training in Kano. She expressed satisfaction with the facilitation and the delivery of content and appreciated the World Bank and GPE/NIPIP for supporting the State reforms. Some of the officials who visited with the Permanent Secretary were, the Executive Chairman, Kano SUBEB, Dr. Danlami Hayyo Ungogo, and the GPE Coordinator, Mallam Abdulshakur Nuhu Abba. While presenting the certificate of participation to participants, the PS promised to scale up the training to other schools and local government areas of the state. Mallam Umar Lawan of NSF Developments Limited gave the vote of thanks.
