PIC: L-R Mrs Phoebe Yayi,Permanent Secretary, Kaduna State Ministry of Education, Dr Shehu Makarfi, Commissioner of Education and other officials at a meeting with zonal directors of education and their deputies, on Thursday in Kaduna
By Philip Yatai
Kaduna – The Kaduna State Government has reiterated its commitment to improve the quality of service delivery in the education sector.
The Commissioner for Education, Dr Shehu Makarafi made this known at the opening of a meeting with zonal education directors and their deputies on Thursday in Kaduna.
He said that the meeting was to review strategies adopted by the education ministry in improving access to inclusive and quality education in the state.
Makarfi explained that the meeting would identify challenges, strengths and opportunities in delivering educational services through the zonal offices.
“We want the zonal directors and their deputies to tell us what their challenges are and how to tackle them so that we will all be on the same page in delivering our mandate.
“The directors and other principal officers at the zonal level need to know their roles in the implementation of education policies and how to effectively carry out their tasks,” he said.
Also speaking, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Mrs Phoebe Yayi, described the zonal offices as “crucial” in the delivery of education services.
Yayi added that the meeting was aimed at reinvigorating the zonal offices to discharge their duties efficiently and effectively.
“We have realised over time that some functions that ought to be taken care of at zonal offices are being pushed down to the headquarters by the zonal directors.
“Sometimes we sent circular from the headquarters, but it does not get down to the schools. This is unacceptable.
“We want to hear from them what the problems are and how to address them. They are the ones at the grassroots and will be in better positions to tell us how to do so better,” she said.
She said that the meeting was first in the series of meetings that would be held to ensure that only the right people were saddled with responsibilities to deliver quality services at the zonal offices.
The Head of Service, Hajiya Bariatu Mohammed, also noted that the meeting would spur the zonal officials to discharge their duties in line with the current administration’s Public Service Revitalisation and Renewal Programme.
Represented by a Permanent Secretary in her office, Mr Ibrahim Jere, Mohammed explained that the role of zonal officials was critical to the success of the government’s programme in the education sector.
According to her, the zonal directors and their deputies must align themselves with the vision and aspiration of the current administration in the education sector.
(NAN)