Nigeria Gets £1.1m Commonwealth Education Fund in Five Year

[Richard Akindele]

As part of its effort in ensuring qualitative education for children in the Commonwealth member states, the Commonwealth Education Fund (CEF) has, since inception in 2002, expended the sum of £13 million Pounds on education. Nigeria alone got £1.1 million of the amount. Country Director of ActionAid International, Nigeria, Dr. Otive Igbuzor, who disclosed this at the reception/ send forth party for the CEF steering committee, said CEF, which operates in 16 countries including Nigeria, has the mandate of ensuring that all of the world's children receive a good quality basic education by 2015 and in pursuing that goal, full equality of access to education for girls and boys be achieved by 2015 as well as making sure that education is given national priority.

While insisting that there was need for every child, especially the girl child to have access, not only to education, but 'a qualitative education', he noted that the CEF funding of education in its 16 member states has not been able to achieve the desired result, as a lot still needed to be done.

According to him, "we know there are still challenges. Funds mapped out for education is not sufficient. There is need to improve teachers' quality, infrastructure in existing schools, as well as offer qualitative education and promote girl child education".

The outgoing steering committee members include, wife of the former Attorney General of the Federation, Mrs. Miriam Uwais and Mrs.Amina Ibrahim who recently turned down a ministerial appointment, while the incoming committee members are Mrs. Bello Zainab Abu and Mrs. Maryam Katango.

This Day.