Yola – The Technology Enhancement Learning for All (TELA) programme sponsored by United States Agency for International Development (USAID) is to educate 22,000 vulnerable children in Adamawa.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the programme is being jointly run with American University of Nigeria (AUN), Yola.
Speaking at the flagging-off ceremony in Yola, the President of AUN, Dr Margee Ensign, said 22,000 vulnerable children and 750 facilitators had been identified for the six months pilot programme aimed at teaching the school age students out of school how to read and write.
“The United States Government has provided 801,000 Dollars and said if you can show in six months that you can take these young children and improve their reading and numeracy by 50 per cent, the programme would be extended all over the country,” Ensign said.
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Ensign lauded the effort of members of the Adamawa Peace Initiative (API) who assisted in selecting the vulnerable pupils and facilitators.
She also commended staff and students of AUN who prepare programmes for the project as well as sacrifice to serve as facilitators.
In his remarks, the founder of AUN, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, lauded the programme which he said was in line with his objectives of establishing the university.
Atiku noted that the gesture would go a long way in addressing the problem of out of school children particularly in Northern part of the country that was far behind.
He tasked all stakeholders to ensure that the programme succeed in view of the vital role of education in bringing peace and development.
Also commending the programme, Gov. Muhammadu Jibrilla of Adamawa re-iterated his administration commitment to support in whatever way to ensure it succeeds.
“As chief executive of this state there is nothing I cannot compromise for education,” Jibrilla said. (NAN)