Bauchi Education Commissioner Lauds UNICEF on Quality Service Delivery
The Bauchi State Commissioner for Education, Dr Jamila Dahiru has commended the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) for supporting the state in development of plans to improve the quality of service delivery in the sector.
Dahiru made the commendation in Bauchi on Friday at the opening ceremony of UNICEF/National Institute for Educational Planning and Administration (NIEPA)’s collaboration on the validation and dissemination of State Education Strategic Plans (SESP) and State Education Sector Operation Plan (SESOP) in the state.
The Commissioner, who acknowledged that the resolve of UNICEF in advancing the education sector in the state could not be overemphasized, also commended NIEPA for embarking on the exercise, adding it would help in ensuring the appropriate allocation of resources to programme implementation.
She, however, decried the non availability of updated data in the planning of operations stressing that updated data was important in planning education policies.
The Commissioner promised that the government would work with the outcome of the meeting in order to move the education sector forward.
Earlier speaking, Ag Director General/CEO NIEPA Nigerian, Ondo, Dr. A. D. Shofoyeke, said that the formulation of the SESP and SESOP had been described as a testament to the collective vision for an inclusive, equitable, and quality education system in Nigeria.
According to him, these plans were not just documentsc but blueprints for the future of the children, the foundation of the nation’s growth, and the beacon guiding toward achieving Sustainable Development Goal 4.
“Our journey here has been one of collaboration, consultation, and comprehensive planning. We have engaged stakeholders at all levels – from educators and administrators to parents and community leaders.
“This inclusive approach has ensured that our plans are reflective of the diverse needs and aspirations of our society. It is this inclusiveness that will drive the success of our initiatives.
“The SESP and SESOP are holistic in that they cover all levels of education namely Pre-primary, primary, JSS, nomadic, Adult and Non-Formal education, senior secondary school, among others
“The SESP and SESOP outline strategic priorities that address critical areas such as: Access to education, Quality of teaching and learning as well as Governance and emerging issues.
“These plans are designed to tackle the challenges that have historically hindered our progress while leveraging opportunities to innovate and improve. Our focus is on creating a resilient education system capable of adapting to the dynamic needs of the 21st century,” he said.
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