The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has announced the enrollment of 33,532 out-of-school children, including Tsangaya students, in Borno State on the Nigeria Learning Passport (NLP) — a digital education platform providing access to quality learning resources.
The milestone was revealed during an annual quiz competition for NLP-supported pupils held in Maiduguri, where Tina Atiya Charles, Education Officer at UNICEF Maiduguri Field Office, shared the progress of the initiative.
Digital Platform Driving Inclusive Learning
According to Charles, the Nigeria Learning Passport is “a digital platform offering free, localised educational content accessible via the web and mobile devices.”
She explained that the platform “features digital learning records and data analytics, and has been launched in 21 states, reaching over 800,000 users—including 230,000 students.”
In Borno alone, “33,532 learners have been enrolled this year and have completed at least one course on the platform. 425 teachers and facilitators have been trained on blended learning teaching methodology and community meet-up meetings to promote parent by-in and to support their children learning,” Charles said.
Expanding Access Through Innovation and Partnerships
The UNICEF education officer revealed that the platform hosts “more than 17,000 teaching and learning materials aligned with the Nigeria national curriculum and global supplementary resources.”
She added that “with over 30,000 teachers in 21 states trained in digital literacy, pedagogy and blended learning teaching methodology, the platform can be used by learners, teachers, educators, and parents/caregivers.”
Charles emphasised that the initiative forms part of UNICEF’s broader effort to reduce the number of out-of-school children in the insurgency-hit region.
“UNICEF together with the government is working very hard to reduce out-of-school children and ensure they are enrolled back to school, and one of the model is the use of Nigeria Learning Passport. One thing that is visible for us and that we identified as a major success is the fact that we are able to bring in the Tsangaya school learners,” she said.
She further expressed appreciation to the Borno State Government and development partners for their collaboration and support.
“On behalf of UNICEF, I would like to express our deep appreciation to the Borno State Government for their outstanding support and collaboration in rolling out the Nigeria Learning Passport (NLP).
We thank our partners for making this possible. With support from donors like Airtel, SILSA, SONY, and FCDO, UNICEF has provided 270 Samsung tablets, 30 routers, and projectors to schools, with 10 offline devices installed in areas without or having limited connectivity.”
Charles also acknowledged the contributions of civil society organisations including Innovation Hub, Multi-Aid and Charity Initiative (MACI), and Mercy Eleos Frontida Foundation (MEFF) for ensuring continued access to digital education in Borno.
Building the Next Generation of Digital Learners
In her closing remarks, Charles encouraged both learners and parents to embrace the digital opportunity.
“I encourage you to keep learning and building your digital skills, as these are essential for the future. To parents and teachers, we appreciate your ongoing support in helping young people continue their education.”
The Nigeria Learning Passport, jointly launched by the Federal Ministry of Education, UNICEF and Microsoft, aims to provide continuous, equitable education for children — especially those in conflict-affected and hard-to-reach areas.
With thousands of children already benefiting in Borno, UNICEF says the initiative will continue to expand access, enhance learning outcomes, and prepare young Nigerians for a rapidly changing digital future.