By Mustapha Salisu
The Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD) has organized a roundtable dialogue for stakeholders as part of its efforts to address challenges of Education Quality Assurance in Kano State.
The session which pulled education experts from various Institutions and MDAs was held on Friday at CITAD’s Kano.
Giving his welcome remarks, the Executive Director of CITAD, Engr. Y.Z Ya’u acknowledged the numerous challenges facing public education, ranging from political and environmental factors to outdated curricula.
Represented by Isa Garba, Senior Program Officer at CITAD, he also highlighted Kano’s role as a model for northern Nigeria and West Africa, stating that reforms in the state could have a wider impact.
“While global education systems are evolving with technological advancements, Nigeria’s system remains largely analogue and in need of reform” Ya’u pointed out.
He expressed hope that the discussions would lead to actionable solutions that will enhance the quality of education in Kano and beyond.
Professor Garba Sa’ad of Bayero University Kano, who spoke to newsmen shortly after the event, explained the discussion, structured into three segments, focused on identifying challenges, exploring solutions, and outlining a way forward.
Prof. Garba disclosed that speakers at the forum pointed to several critical challenges affecting the education monitoring system, including the lack of political will from the government, insufficient resources for quality assurance exercises, and the absence of allowances or incentives for personnel responsible for monitoring schools.
“Many officers, it was noted, have been forced to fund their transportation and inspections, making the process unsustainable and ineffective” he lamented.
Prof. Garba continued by stating “The failure to adequately support quality assurance officers has led to a decline in school monitoring, ultimately affecting the overall quality of education in the state. Without proper oversight, schools struggle to maintain high teaching standards, resulting in poorly trained students and a weakened educational system”
He revealed experts indicated solutions to the issues such as calling for greater government commitment to funding and supporting quality assurance efforts.
“They emphasized the need for competent personnel in school inspections, continuous training and retraining programs, and the provision of vehicles and allowances to facilitate fieldwork. The discussion also highlighted the need to eliminate external influences, such as school administrators offering incentives to quality assurance officers, which could compromise the integrity of inspections”
“There was a strong call for the involvement of the Commissioner for Education and other key policymakers to ensure that the concerns raised reach decision-makers” Prof. Garba noted.
PRIME TIME NEWS gathered that participants agreed on the necessity of continued discussions and follow-up actions as without immediate action, stakeholders warned, the decline in educational standards would persist, affecting future generations.