Nigeria: Non-formal schools give children a jump start 

Out-of-school kids in rural Nigeria gain more access to educational opportunities 

The U.S. Agency for International Development’s Northern Education Initiative Plus project in Nigeria is opening non-formal schools in rural areas to keep kids learning and prepare them for a formal education. Students like Khadija are a testament to the need for these schools and the power of learning.

The Northern Education Initiative Plus:

Funded by USAID, the five-year program strengthens the states’ ability to provide quality education—especially for girls, orphans and children enrolled in nontraditional schools—and improve children’s reading skills. NEI+ works in Bauchi and Sokoto states, using its “whole child, whole teacher, whole school, and whole system approach.” This approach addresses critical supply and demand factors that affect learning, teaching, management, parental participation and responsiveness to children’s needs.