Mobilization Of 24 Million JESAC Members To Vote For Only Education Friendly Candidates In 2019 General Elections Stars With The Safe School Confab

Insecurity in schools with its tragic results is one of the consequences of neglect of the education sector and the criminal misappropriation of resources meant for education by corrupt and education-unfriendly political leaders. Teachers in many States are owed many months of arrears of salaries. Many schools lack minimum protective physical security infrastructure like perimeter fencing and security surveillance, alert and communication systems because funds meant for education are embezzled.

As the preparations for 2019 general elections gathers steam, the entire education sector will once again be sensitized, mobilized and organized under the JESAC (Joint Education Stakeholders Action Coalition) initiative to get their 24 million members of voting age to bond, speak, work and vote together for only education friendly candidates whose education manifesto comply with JESAC Charter of irreducible minimum commitment for transformation of education.

Since 2010 general elections, candidates have been presented with opportunity to address JESAC-in-session on their plans or report cards on education. Recall that in the run up to the 2011 general elections, H.E. President Muhammadu Buhari (as the then presidential candidate of Congress for Progressive Change) and H.E. Alhaji Atiku Abubakar (as the then presidential candidate of Action Coalition) personally addressed JESAC-in-session on their plans for education at the National Centre for Women Development on 28th October, 2010. H.E. President Goodluck Jonathan, (then presidential candidate of PDP) also addressed JESAC through his Education Minister.

Since then, JESAC, with 24 million members of voting age has effectively demonstrated that Education Stakeholders, speaking with one voice and acting together, have the population, brainpower and structures to determine outcomes of presidential, gubernatorial and legislative elections in Nigeria.

JESAC is a voluntary association of nineteen (19) critical unions and associations that cut across the entire gamut of Nigeria’s education sector from primary to secondary to tertiary and includes teaching and non-teaching staff , parents and alumni associations. The inaugural members include NUT, AOPSHON, ANCOPSS, SSANU, NASU, ASUU, ASUP, COEASU, NAPTAN, SSUCOEN,SSANIP and EEMI.

The philosophical foundation of JESAC is that it makes strategic sense for education stakeholders to move away from being passive political watchers to being proactive political playmakers and game changers focused on electing ethics and education friendly political leaders who will be positively pre-disposed to provide and effectively manage resources for transformation of education.

Education Stakeholders are therefore encouraged to attend 2018 Safe School Leadership Empowerment Conference and Awards to kick start the mobilization of education stakeholders for 2019 general elections.

Ike Onyechere, MFR,

Chairman, National Organizing Committee,

2018 Safe School Leadership Empowerment Conference and Awards.