The United Nations Children’s Fund, UNICEF, has pledged continued support to Kaduna State’s integrated learning programme, which blends Western and Islamic education to reach more children across the state.
UNICEF’s Chief of Education in Nigeria, Vanessa Lee, gave the assurance during a visit to selected schools in Kaduna.
It is at the Al-Hidaya Charity School in Kwaru, Kaduna State, where the sound of learning has replaced the noise of street begging.
Here, dozens of young children, many of whom would have been roaming the streets as Almajiri, now sit attentively in class, learning from radio instruction under the integrated learning programme.
The initiative combines Islamic and Western education, equipping children with literacy and numeracy skills without disconnecting them from their cultural roots.
The UNICEF team, led by Chief of Education Vanessa Lee, visited the school to assess the progress made in basic education.
At LEA Primary School in Rigasa and Government Junior Secondary School in Kakuri, the story was similar, children eager to learn and teachers doing their best with limited resources.
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What stood out throughout the visit was the resilience and determination, from students, teachers, and the communities supporting them.
The integrated learning programme is part of a broader effort by the Kaduna State Government and its partners to provide inclusive and equitable education, especially for vulnerable children.
Vanessa Lee described the initiative as transformative and assured continued UNICEF support to help scale it up and reach more children.
For many of the children, the programme is more than just a school, it is a lifeline, a second chance, and a path to a better future.
(Editor: Paul Akhagbemhe)
