World Education Day: ActionAid Seeks Increase To Education Sector Allocation
ActionAid Nigeria has called on the Federal Government to revise and increase the education allocation to the standard expected.
The Non Governmental Organization stated this on Tuesday in a statement at the sideline of the 2021 International World Education day which was made available to newsmen in Lokoja on Tuesday.
Actionaid Nigeria , said the present allocation by the Federal government is grossly inadequate to rejig the education sectors that is already facing comatose, appealing that it should be jacked up to 15 or 20 percent.
“ActionAid Nigeria joins the world to commemorate the 2021 International Education Day. ActionAid Nigeria and other campaigners view education as a human right as enshrined in article 26 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
“The declaration calls for free and compulsory elementary education. Nigeria is a signatory to several international treaties including the Convention on the Right of the Child and the Global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) which stipulate that countries shall make education accessible to all.
“As a developing nation, education is a vital tool for transformational change and is critical for sustainable development. In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic that led to a global disruption of learning, this has affected the lives of many children due to the closure of schools, universities, and other institutions of learning in year 2020.
“Other factors such as insecurity challenges, socio-economic factors, infrastructural deficit have continued to affect education in the Country.
Continuing, “Following directives for school reopening in October 2020, the Federal Ministry of Education (FME), the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) and other stakeholders developed the national School Reopening Guidelines and readiness template to ensure safe reopening of schools.
“The commitment of all stakeholders was sought to ensure states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) meet up with the obligation of ensuring that every child resume to a safe learning environment. These commitments were yet to be met due to the partial or non-compliance to COVID-19 protocols.
“Measures such as provision of handwashing points in strategic places within the school environment was not taken. It is a known fact that many of the schools still lack potable or running water for hand washing even at a time like this.
“Social distancing, even up till now is being hampered by inadequate infrastructure and only very few schools enforce wearing of face mask in the year 2020.
“Again, Schools were directed to reopen since the 18th of January 2021 despite the rising cases and death across the nation. Observation has shown that only very few schools are fully complying while inadequate funding, poor infrastructure, lack of water supply and shortage of competent teachers amongst other factors remain key challenges which prevent schools from fully complying with the provisions for safe school reopening. This frustrates the achievement of universal education in the country” the statement said.