In an effort to enhance the educational experience of children and adolescents, the esteemed Federal Ministry of Education and UNICEF collaborated to introduce the groundbreaking Nigeria Learning Passport initiative in the year 2022.
In the contemporary landscape, a substantial number of children remain deprived of formal education, while many others fail to acquire meaningful learning outcomes. Nigeria, in particular, faces significant challenges in the education sector. In response to this pressing need, the Federal Ministry of Education and UNICEF collaborated to introduce the pioneering Nigeria Learning Passport program in 2022. This initiative aligns with UNICEF's comprehensive global educational strategy, the Learning Passport, initially established in 2018.
The platform offers curriculum-aligned resources in local languages through a combination of online and offline delivery methods. This enables children to access digital learning materials at any time and from any location, ensuring equitable access to quality education. The platform encompasses a comprehensive range of educational content, from foundational learning to skills development, and also provides professional training for educators.
The program has grown to encompass 19 states nationwide, securing the second position among all participating countries, with approximately 888,000 registered users.
TECNO and UNICEF are collaborating to enhance the Nigeria Learning Passport. This partnership will bolster content development, procurement and maintenance of technical equipment, and professional educator training. In 2024, UNICEF intends to expand the Nigeria Learning Passport to encompass offline content for 50,000 children in remote and low-income areas, thereby mitigating the education disparity and augmenting the quality of education.
"We are pleased to partner with TECNO to enhance the reach and impact of the Nigeria Learning Passport," said Cristian Munduate, UNICEF Country Representative in Nigeria. "This collaboration will allow us to provide more children, especially those in remote and underserved areas, with the quality education they deserve. Digital learning is a powerful tool in bridging educational gaps and ensuring that every child has the opportunity to learn and thrive. With TECNO's support, we are one step closer to our goal of making education accessible to all children in Nigeria, empowering them to build a brighter future."
Jack Guo, General Manager of TECNO, added, “As part of its Corporate Social Responsibility endeavours, TECNO keeps giving back to the communities where our business is present. Investing in education is an effective strategy for breaking the inter-generational transmission of poverty and contributing to social and economic development. Africa has the world’s youngest population structure, and the progress for African children is the progress of the world. Through the Learning Passport programme, we hope to help young people in Nigeria access sufficient education and development opportunities, becoming a strong engine for economic growth and social progress in Africa and even the world."
By the end of 2023, the Learning Passport program had expanded to 38 countries globally, with a total of 6.02 million registered users and over 13,000 courses offered. In 2020, the Learning Passport was acknowledged as one of the 50 Most Influential Projects by The Project Management Institute, and in 2021, TIME magazine recognized the program as one of the top 100 inventions of the year.