Strengthening Educational Opportunities Through Partnership
On the 10th of February, 2025, we had the pleasure of welcoming top management team from Save the Children UK, one of our Project implementing partners. The team was led by Chrystal Holt, Senior Education Technical Advisor; Fergal Turner, Education Advisor for Evidence and Learning; and Richard Stephen Tekdek, Head of Education for Save the Children Nigeria, the team also included dedicated members from the SCI Nigerian office.
Our Project Coordinator, Mr. Ezra Angai, extended a warm welcome and highlighted the significance of our project, which is a pioneering initiative in Nigeria aimed at enrolling and retaining out-of-school children. This project is crucial for ensuring that these children have access to quality education, which can significantly alter their life paths.
During the meeting, Chrystal Holt shared her appreciation for the efforts of our Project Management Unit. She emphasized the importance of finding common ground among all partners to create effective learning opportunities for children. Chrystal highlighted the need for consistent feedback mechanisms to identify and address gaps swiftly. She also underscored the necessity of developing a sustainability plan to ensure the project’s continuity beyond its initial funding period. Her suggestion to leverage insights and reports from other successful initiatives, such as PLANE, aims to strengthen our efforts further.
Fergal Turner underscored the critical importance of acquiring reliable, evidence-based data to track enrolment levels and monitor the academic progress of children. Accurate data is essential not only for understanding current challenges but also for shaping future interventions that can lead to enhanced educational outcomes.
In a constructive discussion, our Deputy Project Coordinator, Mr. Hassan Abdul, brought to light the urgent need for support in providing household resources. This support is vital for assisting learners and their caregivers and tackling one of the key factors contributing to school dropouts. Responding to this need, Richard Stephen Tekdek committed to advocating with the top management team at Save the Children for funding focused on livelihood support. This funding will enhance the collaboration with state government initiatives aimed at improving the overall well-being of families and directly influencing children’s educational stability.
As we move forward, our partnership with Save the Children UK continues to strengthen our shared commitment to improving educational access for all children in Kaduna State. Together, we remain dedicated to working tirelessly for the betterment of children’s lives, ensuring that they receive the opportunities they deserve to thrive in their education and future.
Through collaborative efforts and a clear focus on sustainable solutions, we are optimistic about making a lasting impact in the region. Thank you for being part of this inspiring journey toward brighter futures for the children of Kaduna State!