More than 500,000 pupils in 5,000 schools across Lagos State have benefited from higher-quality education.
Baxter also announced PLANE, the UK’s flagship programme to support basic education, which will receive £95 million. PLANE, which is first focused on Northern Nigeria and the federal government, intends to establish a more equitable and effective basic education system by enhancing children’s foundational skills such as reading, writing, and mathematics.
“I am delighted to announce today that we are expanding PLANE’s reach to Southwest Nigeria, with two new workstreams,” he added.
The PLANE plan, in conjunction with the DAWN Commission and the SEED Care Foundation, will strengthen regulation and oversight of low-cost private schools to improve both the affordability and quality of basic education under state government direction.
The program will also help Lagos State apply for a large Global Partnership for Education funding, with the goal of developing activities that expand access to inclusive, high-quality education for marginalized children.
Baxter noted that PLANE’s expansion into Southwest Nigeria provided a valuable chance to improve the quality and affordability of basic education by improving regulations on low-cost private schools.
“Education is a top international development priority for the UK Government. We remain steadfast in our partnership with Nigeria and committed to empowering future generations through education,” Baxter stated.
Ian Attfield, Senior Education Adviser at the British High Commission, highlighted that PLANE’s priority in the region would be to engage affordable community schools, which give critical access to education for low-income families and marginalized children.
He stated that Lagos State would serve as a model for best practices, drawing on earlier collaborations with the UK Government, such as the Education Sector Support Programme in Nigeria and Developing Effective Private Education in Nigeria.
Dr. Seye Oyeleye, Director General of the DAWN Commission, was represented by Abiodun Oladipo, Head of Programmes, and expressed the Commission’s commitment to educational development in Southwest Nigeria.
“The Commission considers education as essential to the socio-economic development of the Southwest region. We are always seeking partnerships to improve educational outcomes in the region and Nigeria as a whole. PLANE is assured of our unwavering commitment to achieving the programme’s objectives,” he said.
Mr Jamiu Tolani Alli-Balogun, Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education in Lagos State, was represented by Permanent Secretary Mr Abayomi Abolaji, who confirmed the state’s preparedness to support the PLANE programme. “Lagos continues to serve as a model for other states in Nigeria, and we are committed to enhancing our strategy to preserve that leadership. We look forward to working with you on this project and exploring future collaborations,” he stated.
Dr. James Fadokun emphasized that PLANE collaborates closely with both the state and federal governments to develop and improve education systems, optimize government spending, and improve education delivery.
PLANE is a seven-year education programme funded by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office. Launched in Nigeria in 2021, the programme initially focused on Northern states and federal-level interventions to improve learning outcomes at the basic education level.
As part of its expansion, PLANE is now collaborating with the DAWN Commission, the technocratic institution dedicated to the sustainable development of Southwest Nigeria.
