Sokoto Unveils 10-Year Strategic Plan to Improve Education

By Fahad Faruk Galadanchi

The Sokoto State Government has unveiled a 10-year strategic plan designed to improve the quality, accessibility and inclusiveness of education across the state.

The Sokoto State Education Strategic Plan (SESP) 2026–2035 was launched alongside the State Education Sector Operational Plan (SESOP) 2026–2028 and Local Education Sector Operational Plans (LESOPs) 2026–2028.

The plans were developed by the state Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education in partnership with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and other development partners.

The documents were unveiled on Friday during a dissemination workshop in Sokoto, with the LESOPs covering Gada, Tureta, Gwadabawa, Tangaza, Goronyo, Isa, Sabon Birni and Yabo Local Government Areas.

Speaking at the event, the Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Prof. Ahmed Ladan Ala, described the plans as a major step towards addressing persistent challenges in the state’s education sector.

Ala called on stakeholders to critically review the documents and provide constructive contributions that could improve their effectiveness and responsiveness to the needs of communities.

He formally endorsed the plans and urged relevant institutions to ensure their implementation translates into measurable improvements in education delivery.

The UNICEF Sokoto Field Office Chief, Dr Michael Juma, said the strategic and operational plans offered an opportunity to tackle barriers that prevent many children from enrolling in, remaining in and completing school.

According to him, poverty, insecurity, displacement, socio-cultural practices and inadequate learning opportunities continue to undermine educational outcomes, particularly in northern Nigeria.

Juma said successful implementation would require the plans to move beyond policy documents and become practical interventions capable of ensuring that every child has access to quality and safe education.

He identified three key requirements for success: prompt implementation, sustainable financing and accountability, and deliberate efforts to ensure no child is excluded.

He said government budgets, annual work plans and development partner programmes should reflect the priorities contained in the plans, while funds should be properly allocated, efficiently utilised and transparently monitored.

Juma also called for targeted interventions for children in hard-to-reach communities, particularly girls, children with disabilities, Almajiri and nomadic learners, as well as children affected by insecurity, poverty and displacement.

He reaffirmed UNICEF’s commitment to supporting Sokoto State in strengthening its education system and translating the plans into concrete results.

Also, the Director-General and Chief Executive of the National Institute for Educational Planning and Administration (NIEPA), Dr A.D. Shofoyeke, said the Sokoto initiative was part of a wider NIEPA-UNICEF partnership covering Lagos, Jigawa, Enugu, Sokoto and Adamawa states.

Shofoyeke explained that the partnership commenced in 2025 with a review of existing education sector plans and capacity-building for education planners and Education Management Information System (EMIS) officers.

He said the training focused on evidence-based planning, gender-transformative education, equity and disability-inclusive education, while the collaboration also supported the preparation of local education sector plans and annual education sector performance assessments.

The NIEPA director-general stressed that the real measure of success would be the impact of the plans on children and communities rather than the documents themselves.

He urged the state government to make the operational plans the basis for annual education budgets, noting that they were aligned with existing government policies and programmes.

Shofoyeke added that NIEPA would continue strengthening the capacity of education planners and EMIS officers in SUBEBs and organising annual conferences for officials responsible for planning, quality assurance, EMIS and teacher professional development.

He urged all stakeholders to take ownership of the plans and work collectively towards achieving better education outcomes across Sokoto State.