By Martin Paul
Abuja
The federal government said yesterday that she is collaborating with international organisations to ensure attainment of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG IV) target, as related to education, by 2030.
Senior Special Adviser to the President on SDGs, Malam Waziri Laminu, disclosed this yesterday in Abuja at the opening of a 3-day taskforce and task team meeting on SDGs implementation in education sector.
He said at present, the federal government was collaborating with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the National Bureau of statistics (NBS) to develop a “robust and comprehensive statistical information system for monitoring progress towards the achievements of the SDGs”.
This effort, according to Laminu, was proceeding by a mapping of existing SDGs related data, adding that an action plan, detailing a list of immediate priority activities was produced, which would be used in driving the domestication and mainstreaming efforts of the office.
Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu, corroborating these efforts, said Nigeria was committed to achieving SDGs’ that was why the ministry had emphasis on proper implementation.
He charged the committee to properly “review, critique and adopt the 2016 work plans, the project cash flows and the strategic implementation plans to ensure collective ownership”.
Adamu said the Overview of Public Expenditure on the Needs (OPEN), has been an important component of the country’s reform programme towards the achievement of MDGs target and that would be applied in SDGs.
“In the recent past, the SDG office has conducted a series of activities to sensitise stakeholders on effective implementation of SDGs. The Federal Ministry of Education is also organising a number of activities to ensure that SDG4 is achieved on time.
“On this, we are determined. Our ministry is already reaching out to the Ministries of Health and Water Resources for effective collaboration.
“This calls for effective partnership with states and local governments for maximum impact at the grassroots and for ensuring that SDG4 is achieved fully by 2030”, Adamu added.
He added that the ultimate aim of intervention was to produced the changes that would lead to improvements in access, retention and completion of studies, “especially, in learning outcomes, we must ensure that it achieves its aim” Adamu added.
In her welcome address, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education, Mrs. Folashade Yemi-Esan, disclosed that the SDGs contained 17 goals and 169 targets, which Goal 4 focused on education, which cautioned operators to “ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all”.
“The SDG 4 is, therefore targeted at ensuring the attainment of universal primary and secondary education, affordable vocational education and access to higher education” , she said.
She fingered heads of parastatals, principals of Federal Unity Colleges, as accounting officers in the implementation of the project in government owned institutions.
“I, therefore, request your total ownership and involvement in the project execution, while the ministry of education would continue to provide the required support towards achievement of the SDGs”, Yemi-Esan assured.
