CSACEFA decries under-funding education sector in Nigeria
AREWA AGENDA – The Civil Society Action Coalition On Education For All (CSACEFA) last week in a communique issued after one day of capacity building, decried under-funding of the education sector in Nigeria.
Part of the communique said “The education sector has been challenged by a number of factors from early childhood learning to tertiary level. Projects that are provided in the education sector budget do not adequately reflect the needs and expectations of educational transformation.”
It further showed its concern for the government that has been initiating different programmes, which have not contributed to social accountability and inclusive development over the years, at the same time has worsened into the creation of challenges such as instability, social vices, poverty, hunger, Malnutrition and Gender inequality.
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“Despite the recommendation for at least 15% – 20% of public spending to be allocated to the Education sector for the attainment of SDG 4, governments have not been meeting this critical obligation. Even where the share of allocation to the education sector in the Kano state budget is above 20% the releases are far below expectation just less than 3% making it a mirage towards achieving SDG-4.” CSACEFA stated.
The communique further elaborated on the observations made by CSACEFA in the education sector among which were; Inadequate funding of education projects, grossly inadequate budget releases for education, increased number of out-of-school children to over 1.4 million, increase in child Labour in Kano state, many young and adults in Kano cannot read or write hence requiring second chance education opportunities and CSACEFA further decried about 50,000 additional classrooms and teachers are needed across the state.
“There is a need for a civil society especially CSACEFA to intensify efforts in awareness creation and influencing Education budget plans and implementation.” it further stated.
In conclusion, the participant calls on the government of Eng. Kabiru Yusuf of Kano State on the need for community participation during budget processes because for sustainability to take place there is a need for active participation of the community, gatekeepers and the beneficiaries in the budgetary preparation.
