By Philip Yatai
A DFID-Funded Partnership to Engage, Reform and Learn -Engaged Citizen Pillar (PERL-ECP)), has begun a four-day meeting with relevant stakeholders to push for inclusive education in Kaduna State.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the stakeholders include; School-Based Management Committees (SBMCs), Parent Teachers Associations (PTAs), Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and the media.
Mustapha Kurfi, PERL-ECP State Partnership Facilitator, explained at the opening of the training in Zaria on Monday, that the goal was to ensure the development of inclusive education policy for effective school management system in the state.
Kurfi stressed the need for active citizen participation in governance to meet the aspiration of the people, adding that government programmes and projects must be demand driven for sustainability.
According to him, the meeting will prepare the SBMCs, PTAs, Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and other stakeholders to articulate issues from the Nation’s Education Policy for inclusion into the state policy currently being developed.
“It will also help us reflect and understand the level of adherence and implementation of existing SMBCs and PTAs guidelines in the state.
“The meeting is to facilitate a fact-finding meeting with School-Based Management Committees (SBMCs) and Parent Teachers Associations (PTAs) leadership and selected Civil Society Organisation.
“The meeting will also support SBMCs, PTAs, traditional institutions, media and relevant stakeholders to identify gaps in school improvement system,” he said.
Mrs Hadiza Umar, PERL Consultant on Education, also said that the meeting
was to strengthen the partnership of different stakeholders including government, for effective citizens engagement in their various constituencies.
“This will enable the stakeholders to recognise their strength, network, strengthen partnership to support schools and compliment government efforts.
“There is going to be a public dialogue on education policy in the state, we want to prepare the stakeholders to make inputs to make the policy more inclusive.
“The school belongs to them, the children belong to them, as such, they need to themselves as major players and partners, make inputs and ensure successes in the sector,’’ she explained.
One of the participants, Mr Kingsley Agu of `Connected Development’ described the meeting as crucial in mobilising relevant stakeholder to play effective role in improving service delivery in education sector. (NAN)
