A new UK-funded initiative has been launched in northern Nigeria to improve basic reading and mathematics skills for thousands of children, particularly those outside the traditional school system.
The Scaling Access and Learning in Education (SCALE) programme was officially launched in Katsina State to tackle low literacy levels and address the impact of ongoing regional insecurity on basic education. Delivered in partnership with international development organizations, the initiative targets pupils in Integrated Qur’anic and Tsangaya Education (IQTE) schools in Katsina and neighboring Zamfara state. It will also support a national review of the Accelerated Basic Education Programme (ABEP) curriculum, designed to help over-age children who have missed out on formal schooling catch up.
Years of persistent insecurity and displacement across north-western Nigeria have led to widespread school closures, leaving millions of children without access to formal education. Community-based Islamic learning centers often serve as the sole educational access point for vulnerable and displaced children, but many lack trained teaching staff and basic infrastructure.
The SCALE project uses an approach known as Teaching at the Right Level (TaRL), which groups children based on their current learning ability rather than their age or grade. The method relies on regular assessments and tailored instruction to build foundational skills at a child’s individual pace.
Speaking at the launch at the Government House in Katsina, the Governor of Katsina State,
Umar Radda, emphasized that expanding physical access to classrooms was no longer enough.”Access is only the beginning, but learning is the ultimate objective,” Governor Radda said. “Our intention is not only to implement isolated projects. Our ambition is to build an education system that can continuously improve.”Officials from the British High Commission in Abuja noted that the intervention aims to expand flexible pathways to basic education in regions heavily affected by conflict.”Far too many girls and boys have been denied access to quality education in Northern Nigeria,” said Ian Attfield,
Senior Education Adviser at the British High Commission. “We must all step up to open flexible, evidence-backed pathways to learning, to ensure that no child is left behind.”
The project is funded by the UK government and implemented by a coalition including the Education Development Trust, TaRL Africa, and Innovations for Poverty Action.
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