The nineteen northern states have expressed their commitment to repositioning the education sector in order for it to meet the demands of current realities.
This is part of the resolution reached at a meeting held by the commissioners of education for the nineteen states.
The commissioners met on Saturday, 19 September 2020, in Abuja to deliberate on issues aftecting the education sector in the region.
Top of the discourse at the meeting is the student exchange programme among the nineteen states, and the reopening of schools after months of closure due to the COVID-19 pandemic and other pressing education issues.
Plethora of issues confronting the schools under the SEP were enumerated and discussed with a view to finding lasting solutions and strengthening the education sector.
The meeting had in attendance 10 States namely: Kaduna, Bauchi, Yobe, Plateau, Niger, Kogi Gombe, Taraba, Nassarawa and Plateau. Others sent their apologies.
In a communiqué issued after the meeting, the commissioners observed some challenges relating to ways and means of communication during this period between States Ministries of Education and Federal Ministry of Education and recommends on more effective channel of communication be established between the FME and the state commissioners of education on policy issues and development in education especially on schools reopening plans.
The urged states to should invest in building the administrative capacities of Principals and teachers by holding in-state workshops and attendance of, Nigerian Institute of Education and Public Administration’s courses and the inclusion of ICT in school administration.
They observed that most of the SEP schools are over populated and recommends that States Ministry of Education should regulate overpopulated SEP schools to the numbers stipulated in the guidelines establishing the program. This will ensure maintenance of the quality teaching and learning in the schools.
The meeting also enjoined commissioners of SEP states to intensify monitoring of SEP and other schools to improve on education delivery in their states.
Participating states agreed, subject to approval of their respective Governors, to reopen their schools as soon and as much as possible, fully or in phases, before 30 October, 2020. Some of the states have already reopened fully or partially since 14 September, 2020.
State governments, development partners, parents and organizations are called on to combine effort in provision of Covid-19 prevention facilities in their schools at reopening.
They appeal to federal Government to, as it did in other sectors, support states in meeting Covid-19 requirements for reopening of schools.
According to the communiqué, there’s need to engage UBEC in order to develop the relevant regional strategies for integrating children of all almajiri schools into mainstream or blended formal education system. Efforts should be made to gain the support and cooperation of all stakeholders in this regard.
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