UNICEF Task Nasarawa Education Ministry, NSUBEB On Transparency

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Rabiu Omaku

The Educational Field Officer of the United Nations Children Education Fund Kaduna Field Office, Francis Elisha has appealed to the Nasarawa State Ministry of Education and the Nasarawa State Universal Basic Education Board to ensure openness at all times in the interest of transparency.

 

He gave the disclosure during a one-day workshop tagged Media Dialogue with Chief Executives and Correspondents on Back to School Campaign and School Safety in Nasarawa State.

 

Francis Elisha described members of the fourth estate of the realm as a veritable tool for the advancement of society, stating that UNICEF can’t afford to keep the media in the back seat.

 

His reaction followed a wide complaint made by Journalists over the lack of transparency at the State Ministry of Education and NSUBEB in times of report between the two bodies.

 

Journalists during the workshop faulted the Ministry and NSUBEB for belittling the fourth estate of the realm by withholding sensitive Information especially those that affected the school’s enrollment.

 

The Educational Field Officer buttressed that UNICEF has not done enough in Nasarawa State in times of projects, He additionally stated that the main objective of UNICEF is to ensure the improvement in the enrollment of school-going age.

 

Saying more needed to be done by the State Government so that it can compete with Kaduna state in the area of support.

 

Elisha said the education sector would remain a mirage until Government come up with a workable solutions hook, net, and sinker.

 

He also tasked the Nasarawa State Government to increase her support in the area of education, health, and nutrition in Nasarawa state.

 

Francis Elisha explained that UNICEF would leverage the opportunity the media would offer and see how to stem the tide of cordial partnership.

 

He stated that the intervention of UNICEF was to ensure that children continued learning through the introduction of a Community learning approach.

 

Nasarawa State COVID-19 response and back to school campaign and Focal Person, Musa Ali said no fewer than 40 SCMB were trained in the two pilot Local Governments, Lafia and Nasarawa respectively.

 

He further explained that 22 were trained in Lafia while 18 were in Nasarawa Local Government, appreciating NSUBEB for keying into the Community Learning approach.

 

Other activities of UNICEF according to Musa Ali include the high-level engagement of 1,800 SCMB’s, Community volunteers, and market women.

 

He explained that 170 learning hubs are available so as to bridge the gap created during the heat of the coronavirus pandemic.

 

The representative of Slum2School Africa averred that the collaboration has adopted pedagogy and technology to improve learning.

 

He reeled out that no fewer than 107,000 wards were enrolled, Attesting that the steps taken have improved the capacity of the school with a total financial commitment of N186m while 97,241:benefited from the program.

He stated further that a total of 330 SCMB with support on hygiene and sanitation.

 

The Executive Chairman of Nasarawa State Universal Basic Education Board, Mohammed Dan’azumi says the collaborating between NSUBEB and the Ministry of Education is timely.

 

The representative of the Chairman, The Director of Academic service, Dr.Ibrahim Eshi maintained that a lot needed to be done in the education sector.

 

He stated that the programme is of great importance to the lives of the students.

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