The European Union (EU) has launched the second phase of its education program, “Expand, Integrate, and Strengthen Systems (EISS),” aimed at enhancing the capacity of teachers in Nigeria. The announcement was made in Abuja by the EU Ambassador to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Samuela Isopi, who was represented by Leila Mathieu, the EU’s head of human development.
This phase focuses specifically on teacher development, building on the first phase, which targeted education and youth empowerment in northwestern Nigeria and was inaugurated in 2023. The total funding for both phases amounts to 45.4 million euros under the Global Gateway Strategy, which aims to enhance digital, energy, and transport connections, as well as strengthen health, education, and research systems globally.
Isopi stated that the EU will partner with six training colleges in Adamawa, Bayelsa, Enugu, Katsina, Plateau, and Oyo, with the goal of reaching a broader group of teachers. She emphasized the importance of investing in teachers, noting that they are fundamental to shaping future generations. This initiative aims to address the challenges teachers face, such as insufficient resources and the pressures of adapting to evolving educational environments.
The program will support the development and review of education policies, enhance teachers’ professional development through pre-service and in-service training, and improve teacher-student collaboration at both school and community levels. UNESCO will oversee the implementation of the program.
UN Resident Coordinator Mohammed Fall highlighted the urgent need for more trained teachers, citing a 2021 UNESCO Institute for Statistics report showing low percentages of trained teachers in Sub-Saharan Africa. He expressed concern about the global trend of high teacher attrition rates and called for measures to address this issue.
In his remarks, Nigeria’s Minister of Education, Prof. Mamman Tahir, acknowledged the significance of this initiative in advancing the country’s educational system.
