UNICEF Introduces Special Teaching Approach For Out-of-school Children

By Abdulwahab Muhammad, Bauchí

The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), Bauchi Field Office, has introduced a special teaching approach which improves the numeracy and literacy skills of out-of-school children who returned to school in Bauchi state.

Speaking to newsmen in Misau local government area of the state on Monday, Dr. Tushar Rane, UNICEF's Chief of Bauchi Field Office, explained that the system is called Teaching at the Right Level (TaRL).

According to him, the children, irrespective of the class from which they stopped going to school, are put together in one classroom and taught basic education. 

The UNICEF boss also revealed that the teachers had been trained on how to handle the teaching methods which are basically the same, using objects that depicts what they are being taught for easy understanding.

Also speaking, Mr. Abdurahman Ado, UNICEF Education Specialist, Bauchi Field Office, said that TaRL was introduced to improve numeracy and literacy skills of primary school pupils in some selected local government areas (LGA) of the state.

"One of the designated Schools for the programme here is the Central Primary School, Misau, where a bloc of Classroom had been set aside for the teaching and learning for out-of-school children who chose to return to school. 

"The programme is done in collaboration with the School Based Management Committee which are saddled with the responsibilities of the day to day running of affairs of the school," he said.

The Education Specialist listed the piloting Local Government Areas where TaRL had been deployed to include; Bauchi, Ningi, Zaki and Misau local government areas.

In his contribution, Mr. Alhaji Audu, Education secretary in Misau LGA, said that the TaRL approach had greatly improved the academic performance of the out-of-school pupils who returned to school.

He further added that TaRL approach was introduced in Misau LGA in 2023, saying 37 out-of-school children had returned to class in Misau Central 

 for introducing the new approach to teaching and learning.