TheCable

Ten teachers across Africa will receive $5,000 grant to improve learning conditions across the continent.

Dubbed Muhammed Sanusi ll Sustainable Development Goals Challenge (HH MSII SDG Challenge), the project will be implemented by One Million Teachers (1MT), a Canadian educational technology startup.

1MT explained that the initiative comes with awards of ten grants of $500 each “with possible follow-up funding” to teachers across sub-Saharan African countries “to support low cost, but high impact, and scalable projects that enhance learning in their communities”.

As chair of the advisory board of 1MT Nigeria and board member of its parent organisation, 1 Million Teachers Canada, Sanusi’s work with the organisation centres around SDGs 4 and 5– to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all, and achieve gender equality and empowerment for all women and girls.

Sanusi said on Monday that he is excited about the project and its future impact on the education sector.

“This is my personal contribution to the realisation of the SDG four and five, which are centred around ensuring inclusive and equitable quality education, promoting lifelong learning opportunities for all and achieving gender equality and empowering women and girls,” Sanusi said.

“In the coming years, the grants will progressively grow in number and amount through an endowment fund and participation of family and close associates, who believe and share the same ideas about education.”

Announcing the development in a statement issued on Monday,  Hakeem Subair, 1MT chief executive officer, said: “This is one initiative, where a seemingly small intervention by way of support to teachers’ community learning enhancement project could trigger massive outcomes in enhancing the quality of learning, particularly, for girls and reduction of poverty around the world.”