Group moves to ensure children access to quality education

From Femi Oyelola, Kaduna

A Non Government Organisation, the Civil Society Action Coalition on Education for All (CSACEFA) says it is ensuring that every child in Kaduna state has access to quality basic education in order to guarantee their future.
The Policy Advisor of the CSACEFA, Ms Chioma Osuji, disclosed this during a three-day training workshop for 60 monitors to track the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC)intervention fund meant to execute projects in 30 schools in Kaduna State held in Kaduna.
According to her, UBEC had between 2015 and June 2017 released more than N290 billion to states without much being seen on the ground.
“Our mission is to engage the citizens on effective monitoring and tracking the utilisation of the funds in ensuring that every child has access to quality basic education.
“This is crucial because the community members have a stake in UBEC spending in their areas, as such, the need to carry them along to ensure sustainability.
“In most cases, projects are undertaken in communities without the knowledge of community members. There is the need to bridge the gap to get everyone on board.”
Osuji explained that the training was designed to build the capacity of relevant stakeholders on how to engage the state’s Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) on the use of UBEC funds already disbursed.
She explained that the project, supported by MacArthur Foundation, would track the implementation of UBEC projects in 30 selected schools in Lere, Jaba and Kaduna North Local Government Areas of the state.
Osuji said beside capacity building, the group was also engaging Education Secretaries, School-Based Management Committee, SUBEB officials and Civil Society Organisations in a dialogue.
“After the training, we will carry out massive sensitisation at the community level and thereafter begin the tracking process starting with 2013/2014 projects, “she said.
Earlier, Executive Chairman, Kaduna SUBEB, Malam Nasiru Umar, commended CSACEFA for the initiative, saying that the efforts would ensure timely execution of projects.
Represented by Mr Monday Madaki,the board’s Director, Physical and Project Monitoring, Umar said that the state had accessed UBEC intervention fund in the past 11 years.
Umar said: “Implementation from 2005 to 2013 was 100 per cent, that of 2014 70 per cent, while contracts would soon be awarded for the 2015 and 2016 projects.
“We will provide the organisation with all relevant documents to make the monitoring and tracking process a success.”