A non-governmental organisation, the Civil Society Action Coalition on Education for All (CSACEFA), has urged the government to prioritise public education, which provides for free, compulsory, and accessible basic education for the Nigerian child as contained in the UBE Act 2015 and other global agreements as ratified by Nigeria.
The call is contained in a Position Paper by CSACEFA to commemorate the 2024 Global Action Week for Education (GAWE), celebrated globally with the theme: “Invest in Public Transformative Education.”
The Focal Person of the group in the Federal Capital Territory Abuja, Nigeria, Abdullahi Sale, said the provision of modern learning facilities should also be given top priority “to make the Nigerian child 21st Century compliant.”
He said there was a need to equally take the training, welfare and rights of the teachers seriously for good outcomes in schools.
“Paying their emoluments and entitlements on time and making their training and capacity development a priority will enhance productivity in the sector,” he said.
According to him, the Budgeting process for education should also be all-inclusive and cognizance should be taken of items that will enhance the growth of the sector.
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He stressed that appointing the right persons to oversee the affairs of the Ministry of Education and programmes related to the sector, which is championed by development partners, should be given critical attention.
“The coalition is desirous of a better Nigeria, which can only be achieved through a vibrant education system. This can only be achieved by deliberate actions and planning, which requires strong political will, as demonstrated in other sectors of the economy.
“The coalition is worried about the delay in reviewing the UBE Act and other policies in the sector. We hope that the week will be one in which those saddled with the responsibility of the sector will reflect deeply to make Nigeria a better place,’ he said.
Abdullahi said the theme “Invest in Public Transformative Education” calls for deeper reflection among practitioners and stakeholders in the sector to consider the myriads of challenges facing education, which include inadequate security, infrastructure, welfare, teachers, and teaching facilities, in addition to the high cost of acquiring education itself.
“The coalition is concerned at the high cost of tuition in public institutions. It is for these reasons and many others that the forum calls on the government to do the needful,” he concluded.
