The National Institute for Educational Planning and Administration (NIEPA) in Ondo has taken a giant leap towards enhancing Nigeria’s education sector, courtesy of its partnership with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) on the “Learn to Read” project. The project, facilitated through the Federal Ministry of Education (FME), aims to improve early-grade reading skills for students in grades P1-P4 nationwide.
On Monday, October 28, 2024, a team of experts from USAID, FME, and the Institutional Capacity Assessment (ICA) consultant paid a visit to NIEPA’s headquarters in Ondo. This follow-up visit was a testament to the progress made since the USAID team’s earlier advocacy visit to NIEPA.
The meeting commenced with a courtesy visit to NIEPA’s Acting Director-General and Chief Executive, Dr. A. D. Shofoyeke, and other principal officers. Dr. Ibitola Eyarefe, NIEPA’s USAID Desk Officer, introduced the visiting team, comprising Prof. Adewale Gbenga, ICA Consultant; Prof. Toun Akinsolu, USAID Team Leader; and Afolabi Abdul, FME Representative, providing a comprehensive overview of their expertise and roles.
Following the introduction, Dr. A. D. Shofoyeke expressed his optimism about the partnership, stating, “We are committed to restoring NIEPA’s position as a leading institution in educational planning and administration. Our successful collaborations with UNICEF and FCIDO Plane have already yielded positive results in improving Nigeria’s education sector. I am confident that this partnership with USAID will further enhance our capacity to develop effective education sector planners and managers.” He emphasized NIEPA’s dedication to supporting the Federal Ministry of Education’s initiatives and looked forward to a fruitful collaboration.
The meeting later broke out into a technical session to evaluate NIEPA’s alignment with ICA template’s domains of Strategic Planning, Policy, Coordination, Financial Management, Social Mobilization, Quality Assurance, and Data Management. Prof. Gbenga meticulously reviewed the evidence presented by NIEPA stakeholders, making necessary observations and ratings with the USAID Team Leader and FME representative closely monitoring the process.
Prof. Toun Akinsolu, USAID Team Leader, hailed the partnership as a crucial step towards Nigeria’s educational progress and development. “NIEPA’s capacity-building mandate aligns perfectly with our goals. By supporting the ‘Learn to Read’ project, we aim to improve reading skills for students in grades P1-P4, ultimately enhancing the country’s educational landscape.”
She further stated that the partnership is aimed at justifying NIEPA’s inclusion in implementing the Early Grade Reading (EGR) program for P1-P4 in Nigeria, aligning with the National Reading Framework’s commitment 9 (NRF-9) for training Headteachers and Education Officers nationwide.
This collaboration is expected to significantly contribute to NIEPA’s mission of developing a critical mass of education sector planners and managers for effective and efficient planning and management of the educational system.
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