The Oyo State Government, in collaboration with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), has launched the Nigeria Learning Passport (NLP) for better access to quality learning.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that NLP is an online e-learning platform with mobile and offline capability that enables continuous access to quality education.
Nigeria Learning Passport is also an ‘education model’ for early childhood education, primary and secondary education, adolescent skills, and technical and vocational education.
Every user has a personalised record of their learning history which is unique to them.
No fewer than 2.4 million children and teachers across Nigeria are already using the Nigeria Learning Passport, with Oyo State becoming the 26th state to adopt it.
Speaking at the event, Gov. Seyi Makinde described the initiative as a major step towards repositioning education to meet the demands of the 21st century.
Makinde, represented by the Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Hon. Segun Olayiwola, reiterated that technology is rapidly changing how people work, communicate, and acquire knowledge, emphasising that education must not be left behind in this transformation.
He said that the state government, in line with its commitment to human capital development, is embracing the NLP to strengthen digital learning and expand access to quality educational resources.
The governor stressed that learning should not stop when a child leaves the classroom, adding that the government is promoting a culture where learners can continue to learn at home and in their communities.
“Our vision is to build an inclusive, innovative and technology-enabled education system where every child has the opportunity to learn; every teacher has the opportunity to improve; and every school is connected to resources for effective learning,” he said.
He, however, noted that the success of the platform will not be measured by the launch alone, but by how effectively schools, teachers and learners adopt and use it.
While appreciating UNICEF for its partnership, Makinde urged teachers, learners, school administrators, SUBEB, TESCOM and other stakeholders to take ownership of the initiative.
He also tasked them on ensuring it becomes an integral part of learning, with priority on underserved communities.
The UNICEF Chief of Lagos Field Office, Celine Lafoucriere, urged the government to deliberately prioritise children in rural and underserved communities to ensure the newly launched NLP in the state delivers lasting impact.
Lafoucriere said schools in communities with limited electricity or network coverage are often the last to benefit from technological innovations.
She called for a reversal of the trend by ensuring that children in those communities, especially girls who face the greatest barriers, are among the first to benefit from the platform.
She commended Gov. Seyi Makinde for his commitment to quality education, noting that the launch is not a new promise but a step forward in fulfilling the administration’s pledge. A pledge coming at a time when 5,000 newly recruited teachers have been deployed to classrooms.
Lafoucriere explained that the NLP, which was developed in response to learning disruptions caused by COVID-19 when schools closed for over 1.6 billion children worldwide, provides thousands of curriculum-aligned lessons in Mathematics, English and Science.
She said the resources can be accessed via phones and tablets both online and offline, with Airtel covering data costs to ensure free access for families.
According to the UNICEF boss, teacher training must remain continuous to ensure new and existing teachers are equipped to integrate the platform effectively into classroom teaching.
She added that government must also track usage and learning outcomes beyond registration numbers to determine whether children are actively using the platform and whether learning is improving.
She said the platform is the result of a strong collaboration between UNICEF, the Federal Government, Microsoft which developed the technology, the Global Partnership for Education (GPE) which provided financial support, IHS Towers, TECNO and Airtel.