The Deputy British High Commissioner, Mr John Baxter, said 8 million children across 11 Nigerian states have benefitted from UK-funded educational programmes aimed at improving learning opportunities.
Speaking at the launch of the Partnership for Learning for All in Nigeria programme in Southwest Nigeria on Thursday, Baxter said the UK was committed to supporting education in the country.
He noted that the UK government has been involved in various initiatives, including the DEEPEN programme, which had enhanced learning outcomes for children in private schools, particularly those serving low-income households, over the past decade in Lagos.
In collaboration with the Development Agenda for Western Nigeria Commission and the SEED Care and Support Foundation, the British High Commission officially launched the PLANE programme in Lagos State.
Baxter shared that over half a million children across 5,000 schools in Lagos had benefitted from improvements in the quality of education.
“The UK is proud of its long-standing and wide-ranging partnership with the Government of Nigeria, which, among other areas, includes education.
“Through the DEEPEN programme, we have improved learning outcomes for children in private schools, particularly for those in low-income households.
More than half a million children in 5,000 schools across Lagos State have benefitted from better-quality education.”
Baxter also introduced PLANE, the UK’s flagship programme supporting basic education, with an allocation of £95 million. Initially focused on Northern Nigeria and the federal government, PLANE aims to create a more inclusive and effective basic education system by improving foundational skills such as reading, writing, and mathematics for children.
“I am delighted to announce today that we are expanding PLANE’s reach to Southwest Nigeria, with two new workstreams,” he added.
In collaboration with the DAWN Commission and SEED Care Foundation, PLANE programme will enhance the regulation and oversight of low-cost private schools to improve both the affordability and quality of basic education under the leadership of state governments.
The programme will also support Lagos State’s application for a substantial Global Partnership for Education grant, aiming to design initiatives that increase access to inclusive, quality education for marginalised children.
Baxter explained that PLANE’s expansion to Southwest Nigeria presented a valuable opportunity to elevate the quality and affordability of basic education by strengthening the regulation of low-cost private schools.
“Education is a top international development priority for the UK Government. We remain steadfast in our partnership with Nigeria and committed to empowering future generations through education,” Baxter stated.
Senior Education Adviser at the British High Commission, Ian Attfield, explained that PLANE’s focus in the region would be on engaging affordable community schools, which provide essential access to education for low-income households and marginalised children.
He noted that Lagos State would serve as a model of good practice, building on previous collaborations with the UK Government, such as the Education Sector Support Programme in Nigeria and Developing Effective Private Education in Nigeria.
Director General of DAWN Commission, Dr Seye Oyeleye, represented by Head of Programmes, Abiodun Oladipo, expressed the Commission’s commitment to educational development in Southwest Nigeria.
“The Commission considers education as essential to the socio-economic development of the Southwest region. We are always seeking partnerships to improve educational outcomes in the region and Nigeria as a whole. PLANE is assured of our unwavering commitment to achieving the programme’s objectives,” he said.
Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education in Lagos State, Mr Jamiu Tolani Alli-Balogun, represented by Permanent Secretary Mr Abayomi Abolaji, reaffirmed the state’s readiness to support the PLANE programme. “Lagos remains a model for other states in Nigeria, and we are committed to improving our strategies to maintain that leadership. We look forward to collaborating with you on this project and exploring future partnerships,” he said.
Dr James Fadokun emphasised that PLANE works closely with both state and federal governments to strengthen and improve education systems, optimise government expenditure, and enhance education delivery.
PLANE is a seven-year education programme funded by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office. Launched in Nigeria in 2021, the programme initially focused on Northern states and federal-level interventions to improve learning outcomes at the basic education level.
As part of its expansion, PLANE is now collaborating with the DAWN Commission, the technocratic institution dedicated to the sustainable development of Southwest Nigeria.