Communique of Education Stakeholders Forum held on 19th December,2016 in Calabar
BEN USANG
A COMMUNIQUE
ISSUED AT THE END OF A ONE DAY EDUCATION STAKEHOLDERS FORUM ORGANISED BY THE CIVIL SOCIETY ACTION COALITION ON EDUCATION FOR ALL(CSACEFA),CROSS RIVER STATE CHAPTER
HELD AT THE CROSS RIVER WATCH HALL,2 NDIDEM USANG ISO ROAD,CALABAR ON THE 19TH OF DECEMBER,2016
The Forum was organized in partnership with Cross River Watch Online Media Organisation with the support of the National Office of the Civil Society Action Coalition on Education for All and funding from the Civil Society Education Fund. Nineteen persons representing Civil Society Organisations, The Cross River State Ministry of Education, The Management of two secondary schools in Calabar and Cross River Watch attended the Forum. The event was one of the activities of the Education Stakeholders Dialogue Initiative implemented between November 2016- December,2016. Discussions by participants at the Forum were facilitated by the State Coordinator of the Civil Society Action on Education for All, Mr. BEN USANG.
Issues discussed at the Forum where mainly derived from the Ten Point Advocacy Paper of the Civil Society Action Coalition on Education for All(CSACEFA) Cross River State Chapter dated November,2016 which highlighted diverse issues affecting Education in the state as well as other issues raised by participants. They include:
Roaming of student during school hours due to indiscriminate fee drive or Poor Monitoring;
Examination Malpractices;
Compulsory PTA levies;
An inclusive Canada/Cross River Model Schools accessible to the poor and disable citizens of the state;
Poor Infrastructural and Learning facilities in Rural Schools;
Poor Infrastructure and low budgetary support to school with Special Needs;
Inadequate Funding for the Institute of Management Technology Ugep;
Aptitude Test in Tertiary Institution despite the cancellation by the Federal Government;
Government Recognition and Strengthening of the work of Non Formal Non-Governmental Education Institution Such as Girls Power Initiative;
Qualified and Motivated Teachers for the Primary and Secondary Schools in the State.
After extensive deliberations of the issues raised at the Forum and the inputs of participants, the following resolutions were adopted at the Forum:
Government should partner with Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) to check the issue of roaming of students during school hours and schools management should have a database of Parents/Guardians of students that will make communication between them more effective;
There Should be early information for Parents about dateline for Payment of Fees and orientation on making the payment priority by the school management;
That while Parents Teachers Association(PTA) Levies provide an opportunity for Parents to complement Government Effort in developing school infrastructure, a Monitoring mechanism should be in place to ensure that the levies were not exorbitant and beyond the reach of poor parents while PTAs should be granted approval to source for alternative extra means of getting funds for its projects;
Student Care Centers should be established in schools with Counselors and Mentors engaged for the centers to counsel and mentor students driven from classroom for Non-Payment of school fees and other interested ones;
Commend the policy of Government instructing schools not to admit any students to take WAEC/NECO examinations who did not write the MOCK examination in the school as the policy will go a long way to stem the tide of students moving to some so called ‘MIRACLE CENTERS’ to write examination with the believe that the place is popular for examination malpractice;
Government should put in place a Policy thrust to compel students seeking admission to come to the school with a Parent/Guardian that will be accountable and take responsibility for their Education in the school;
Advice the Management of Special Education Centers for the Physically Challenged to expand collaboration with Philanthropic persons, donor agencies and other Non- Governmental Developmental Organisations to help attract funding to the centers to complement the inadequate funds they receive from the Government;
Government should not neglect Rural and Special Need schools but should deliberately increase funding to such schools towards improving their infrastructure and learning environment;
Government should not allow the recently established Institute of Management Technology Ugep to deteriorate due to neglect, poor funding, or poor political will due to the change in the government from the one that established the school;
Government should take deliberate steps or actions to recognize and promote the work of Non Governmental Organisations involve in a properly organized Non Formal Education of Youth in the state. Such organisations should be properly identified and should have a consultative status with Government as part of a youth development and orientation policy;
Government should reintroduce Special motivation allowances for Teachers in Rural Schools and Special Education Centers;
Government should through a Policy thrust encourage all Elected Public office Holders in the state to send their Children/Dependents to Public schools as a measure of improving the Confidence of the Citizens in the Public School System which remain more affordable that the private ones.
Adopted and Signed in Calabar this 19th Day of December,2016
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Ben Usang Obongha Sam Eshua Joseph
State Coordinator,CSACEFA Chairman,Communique Com. Secretary,Communique Com.
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