A statement by Ibrahim Musa Maizare, Public Relations Officer of ZSUBEB, emphasized the positive effects of systematic phonics instruction, particularly the Jolly Phonics program, in enhancing literacy outcomes in the state’s public primary schools.
Alhaji Sama’ila Musa Anka, Director of Teacher Professional Development and a member of the HOPE-EDU Team at Zamfara SUBEB, spoke at the event, declaring reading aloud a fundamental human right. He highlighted that Zamfara is the first state in northern Nigeria to implement the Jolly Phonics program.
“UBEC-supported studies have shown that pupils in schools using Jolly Phonics perform significantly better in reading and writing compared to those without the program,” he said.
He also noted that around 1,250 teachers were trained last year under the Teacher Professional Development initiative, while the newly introduced HOPE-EDU program is expected to further improve literacy and numeracy results.
Representing the Executive Chairman of Zamfara SUBEB, Alhaji Garba Dan-Azumi expressed strong support for the initiative after observing the pupils’ performance, calling the outcomes convincing and encouraging.
The event reinforced Zamfara State’s dedication to early literacy, establishing it as a model for effective reading interventions in Nigeria as the country works toward universal literacy.
