Yola – No fewer than 22,000 vulnerable children in Adamawa have benefitted from the Technology Enhanced Learning for All (TELA) project, sponsored by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), in collaboration with American University of Nigeria (AUN), Yola.
The Director, Education Office of USAID in Nigeria, Mrs Croshelle Harris-Hussein, stated this in Yola on Wednesday at the closing ceremony of TELA programme in Adamawa.
Harris-Hussein, whose speech was read by USAID Education Manager, Mrs Nafisa Ado, said the agency was committed to supporting Adamawa government in educating underprivileged children in the state.
She lauded the Adamawa Ministry of Education, State Universal Education Board and other stakeholders for the successful implementation of TELA project.
“You do not need someone to come from Abuja to point out the difficulty of the security situation in your state.
“US Government is committed to help you in this difficult times.
“In addition to the grant provided to AUN, we also conducted the Education Crisis Response (ECR) activity that is providing education through non-formal learning centers in communities in Adamawa, as well as Bauchi, Borno, Gombe and Yobe.
“Internally Displaced children and communities that host them are being taught not only literacy, numeracy and vocational skills, but are also receiving critical psycho-social counseling, to help them overcome their traumatic experiences.
“We are hoping that these efforts can be sustained and scaled up by the state, civil society organizations and community coalitions so that no child goes without a much deserved education.
“As long as you demonstrate a sincere commitment to deliver, USAID will work with you to help develop and implement your plans to bring learning opportunities to every primary school-aged child in this state,” she said.
Harris-Hussein lauded AUN for the success of TELA and other programmes put in place to help host communities.
In her remarks, the President of AUN, Dr Margee Ensign, described TELA project as one of the most ambitious programmes implemented by the university that had impacted on the host community.
Ensign said that with a grant of 800,000 million US Dollars provided by USAID, the university, with other stakeholders, was able to provide technology-based literacy programmes to 22,000 vulnerable children who could now read and write within a year.