By Francis Okoye, Maiduguri
Towards strengthening basic education in Borno State, the Unique
Care and Support Foundation (CASFOD) has partnered with HALI, CATAI,
SCAAD, TIP, CGE, BOWDI, and the Borno State Government, with the support
of the Malala Fund, to develop a Local Education Sector Operational Plan
(LESOP) for four Local Government Areas (LGAs of Mafa, Gubio, Damboa, and Askira – Uba.
A statement issued to Journalists on Saturday in Maiduguri by Advocacy , Media and Communications Coordinator CASFOD , Jibirin Kolo Adamu, said this initiative aims to ensure equitable access to quality and affordable education at the grassroots level.
He said the two-day workshop, held in Kano State, brought together major education stakeholders, including School-Based Management Committees (SBMCs), Education Secretaries, Education Management Information System (EMIS) officers, and representatives from the Borno State Universal Basic Education Board, the Ministry of Education’s Gender Desk, persons with disabilities, Sangaya and Islamiya education board, and directors of agriculture.
He said the purpose was to develop a robust, context-specific LESOP that is inclusive, gender-sensitive, and climate-resilient, adding that during the workshop, stakeholders identified key challenges affecting education in the four LGAs.
He said these challenges include limited access to education, poor quality of learning, lack of inclusiveness, infrastructural deficiencies, inefficiencies in management systems, and inadequate climate resilience and emergency response measures. Local government representatives proposed various activities to address these issues, established baseline data, and set ambitious targets for the coming years.
Dr. Murtala Adogi Muhammad of the System Strategy and Policy Lab guided
participants on improving education quality and access, adapting strategies to local needs, and monitoring and evaluating educational progress at the LGA level. Dr. Muhammad Bello also engaged participants on the importance of transparency, accountability, and civic engagement in LESOP implementation, highlighting key strategies to enhance these elements within the LGAs.
” The engagement was a critical step in drafting LESOPs that align
with global, national, and state development agendas, including the
United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 2030,
Nigeria’s National Development Plan 2021-2025, the Borno State 25-
Year Development Plan, and the State Educational Sector
Operational Plan 2024-2026.
” Participants were encouraged to align their activities with these frameworks to ensure a comprehensive and effective education system.
By the end of the workshop, a draft LESOP was developed for each of
the four LGAs, taking into account the unique challenges and potential solutions identified during the discussions.
” This draft will serve as a foundation for further refinement and eventual
implementation, with the ultimate goal of creating an education
system where every child in Borno State has access to quality and
affordable education, ” he said.
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