By Usman Usman Garba
The Federal Ministry of Education, in collaboration with the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) and the World Bank, has commenced a thematic regional workshop on Result Area 1 of the HOPE-EDU Programme for directors and support officers from the North-West and North-East geopolitical zones in Kano State.
The workshop focuses on the implementation of the Structured Pedagogy Package (SPP), a key component of efforts to improve teaching and learning outcomes in Nigeria’s basic education sector.
Declaring the workshop open on behalf of the Executive Secretary of UBEC, Dr Aisha Garba, the Director, North-East Zone, Alhaji Abdullahi Jarma, who represented the Executive Secretary, said the training was designed to strengthen the capacity of participating states and equip them with the tools, strategies and accountability mechanisms required to achieve measurable improvements in learning.
She described education as the cornerstone of national development, stressing that the Federal Government, in partnership with the World Bank, remained committed to ensuring that the HOPE-EDU Programme delivers qualitative and sustainable outcomes for Nigerian children.
According to her, Result Area 1 places particular emphasis on ensuring that every Nigerian child acquires essential literacy and numeracy skills, with the Structured Pedagogy Package serving as a major instrument for achieving the objective.
She explained that the workshop would build the capacity of state education authorities in areas including teaching and learning materials, teacher training and learning assessment, using an evidence-based approach to improve literacy and numeracy outcomes.
The Executive Secretary further stressed the importance of state readiness, noting that participating states are expected to demonstrate readiness for implementation by November 15, 2026. She described the requirement as critical to accessing the first round of programme disbursements.
She urged participants to actively engage in the sessions, exchange experiences and collaborate across states, emphasising that the knowledge and strategies gained during the workshop should translate into practical actions capable of improving the quality of learning in schools.
Also speaking, the Programme Manager of the HOPE-EDU Programme, Mr Olumayowa Aleshin, said the workshop represented an important step towards strengthening the foundations of basic education and ensuring effective implementation of the programme across participating states.
He said the composition of the delegations, comprising Directors of Academic Services, Teacher Professional Development, Monitoring and Evaluation, and their support officers, reflected the whole-of-system approach required for the successful implementation of the HOPE-EDU Programme.
Aleshin urged participants to use the workshop to develop practical roadmaps, strengthen planning and accelerate implementation processes that would have a meaningful impact on learning outcomes in schools.
He expressed optimism that the workshop would generate innovative ideas, stronger collaboration and measurable progress towards transforming basic education in Nigeria.
The workshop brings together relevant education officials from the North-West and North-East geopolitical zones to deepen their understanding of the SPP Guidance and prepare their respective states for effective implementation of Result Area 1 of the HOPE-EDU Programme.