By Ahmed Rufa’i, Dutse
The National Institute for Educational Planning and Administration (NIEPA) has commended the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) for its sustained commitment to strengthening children’s right to education and improving educational planning in Nigeria.
The Director-General of NIEPA, Dr. David Shofoyeke, gave the commendation on Friday at the opening of a three-day training on the Local Education Sector Operational Plan (LESOP) for education managers in Dutse, Jigawa State.
Shofoyeke, represented by Dr. Grace Omiyale, a Senior Training and Research Fellow at the institute, reaffirmed NIEPA’s dedication to driving educational transformation across the country.
He explained that the development of State Education Sector Plans (SESP) and State Education Sector Operational Plans (SESOP) provides states with strategic frameworks to identify, implement, and track education priorities effectively.
“The process enables states to operationalise interventions within the policy and resource environment,” he said.
The DG disclosed that since 2024, UNICEF has provided technical support for the development of these strategic documents in eight states, facilitating the drafting of over 40 LESOPs nationwide.
According to him, UNICEF’s intervention has laid a strong foundation for evidence-based, gender-transformative, equity-driven, disability-inclusive, and climate-resilient education planning in Nigeria.
He added that many of the plans are now guiding state education budgets, programme design, and donor engagement.
Shofoyeke also commended the Jigawa State Government for embracing data-driven reforms in its education sector.
In his remarks, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry for Higher Education, Science and Technology, Mr. Muhammed Dahiru, expressed appreciation to UNICEF and other partners for their technical and financial support.
He noted that Governor Umar Namadi’s administration is committed to partnering with development agencies to deliver quality education, describing the sector as one of the government’s cardinal priorities.
It was gathered that UNICEF, in collaboration with the European Union (EU), is supporting Jigawa State in reviewing and developing its education strategic plan under the Education and Youth Empowerment (EYE) Programme.