The United States of America, through the Agency for International Development (USAID), has announced its continuing support to the education sector in Sokoto State with the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) by the USAID Mission Director, Michael Harvey, and Governor Aminu Tambuwal.
The Public Affairs Section of the US Embassy in Nigeria stated this in a release sent to Qed.ng on Monday.
The five-year MOU sets out the shared and individual commitments for collaboration in the education sector made by both USAID and the Government of Sokoto and provides a framework for mutual accountability for education activities in Sokoto State, the statement said.
It supports the Sokoto State government’s goals and targets in its education sector strategic plans and establishes a preliminary plan for joint monitoring and evaluation of progress.
“The United States commends Sokoto State for its extraordinary efforts to provide greater learning opportunities for its children. This MOU will expand the partnership between USAID and Sokoto State to improve primary education in Sokoto,” said Harvey.
USAID supports Nigeria’s efforts to improve the quality of and access to basic education.
Currently, USAID implements two activities that support Sokoto State efforts to improve the education sector: the Northern Education Initiative Plus and the Leadership, Empowerment, Advocacy and Development.
These activities build state and local government capacity and systems that will teach approximately two million primary school children how to read and allow nearly 500,000 children the opportunity to attend classes in community-based learning centres by the year 2020.
US Secretary of State, John Kerry, visited Sokoto State as part of a two-day visit to Nigeria in August.
