Plateau State has taken a major step toward expanding access to digital education with the official launch of the Nigeria Learning Passport (NLP), an e-learning platform designed to provide quality, inclusive, and effective education for children across the state.
The launch, held Friday at Government House, Little Rayfield, Jos, brought together government officials, education stakeholders, development partners, and community leaders.
Governor Caleb Manasseh Mutfwang, who formally unveiled the platform, described the initiative as a leap forward in transforming education. He assured that the programme will be extended beyond urban areas to rural communities so that “no child is left behind” in the drive for digital competence.
“My gratitude goes to UNICEF, TECNO Mobile, Airtel, and other partners for deepening access to digital literacy, which is now an absolute necessity in today’s world,” the Governor said. He directed the Ministry of Education to draw up a strategic plan for full digital integration across all levels of education within the next two to three years.
The Governor also announced plans to scale up the pilot project already implemented at Government Secondary School, Kuru, while ongoing discussions with the Federal Ministry of Communications and telecom providers aim to expand broadband access and establish more Computer-Based Test (CBT) centres in the state.
Speaking on behalf of UNICEF, Mr. Abdulrahim Ibrahim Ado, Education Specialist at the Bauchi Field Office, stressed that the Nigeria Learning Passport was developed to close learning gaps and reduce the number of out-of-school children. He noted that the platform, developed by UNICEF in partnership with Microsoft and supported by the Global Partnership for Education, has already proved effective in enabling children to continue learning during school closures.
“The NLP is not only for learners but also for teachers, providing access to curriculum-based content and professional resources,” he said.
Plateau State Commissioner for Education, Dr. Kachollom Gang, highlighted the importance of digital literacy in preparing young people for the future. She urged teachers, parents, and students to embrace the opportunity responsibly, while warning against misuse of the internet.
Chairman of the Plateau State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Hon. Sunday Samuel Amuna, described the initiative as a milestone that would strengthen literacy and numeracy levels across schools. He called for increased budgetary allocation to education, in line with UNESCO’s recommendation of 26 percent of annual budgets.
The launch also featured goodwill messages from the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) and the All Nigeria Confederation of Principals of Secondary Schools (ANCOPSS), who pledged their support for the programme. Guests were entertained with cultural performances before a panel discussion on “Digital Learning: An Enabler for Better Access to Quality Education.”
The event climaxed with the symbolic presentation of routers to 50 schools, officially marking the rollout of the Nigeria Learning Passport in Plateau State.
