The Federal Government has called for inclusive education that accommodates girls, children with disabilities and learners affected by displacement, insecurity and migration. The Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Sa'idu Ahmad, said education programmes must be adapted to the needs of disadvantaged learners to ensure that no child is denied access to learning.
She spoke through the Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University of Education, Zaria, Kaduna State, Prof. Yahaya Bunkure, at the International Conference on Nomadic and Alternative Education Approaches in Africa, held at Maryam Abacha American University of Nigeria (MAAUN), Kano.
The minister identified poverty, household responsibilities, safety concerns, poor sanitation and inadequate access to female teachers and mentors as some of the challenges preventing girls in underserved communities from accessing education.
She called for stronger community engagement, safer learning environments and support for girls to remain in school, as well as opportunities for those who had dropped out to return.
Ahmad also urged the government to make alternative education facilities, learning materials, digital platforms and assessment arrangements accessible to children with disabilities.
She stressed the need to invest in teacher recruitment, professional development and instructional materials, particularly for nomadic and alternative education programmes.
The minister called on federal, state and local governments to provide adequate funding for alternative education and ensure that programmes were sustained beyond individual projects and funding cycles.
She urged participants at the three-day conference to develop practical recommendations on policy coordination, flexible learning models, teacher development and sustainable funding.
Earlier, the President of MAAUN, Prof. Mohammad Israr, said universities must contribute to research, innovation, policy development and community development beyond classroom teaching.
He said the conference, organised through MAAUN's Africa Institute for Strategic Development in collaboration with universities in Somalia, Kenya and Namibia, provided an opportunity to develop solutions to Africa's education challenges.