CHF, IRC and Adamawa State commenced UBE III research project
CHF EditorCommon Heritage Foundation (CHF) and International Rescue Committee (IRC) in collaboration with Adamawa State Government has commenced a research project aimed at addressing education challenges in conflict-affected areas in the State. Speaking in Yola at a stakeholders’ meeting on the third phase of UBE implementation research, the Regional Research Director of IRC, Prof. Oladele Akogun, expressed concern that policy makers often make decisions without consulting the beneficiaries’ inputs and called for change of patterns. Akogun stressed that local governments, traditional rulers and religious leaders and parents should be part of public hearings before major decisions are taken, recalling that in the first phase of the research, findings in Madagali LGA of Adamawa State showed community-led initiatives compelling children to return to school despite the Boko Haram crisis.
Similarly, the Director of Planning, Research, and Statistics, Mass Education Board, Mr Salihu Iliyasu, said community involvement is key to eliminating truancy and providing flexible learning options. While Adamawa State’s progress in reducing out-of-school children is commendable, the experience shows that lasting gains depend on more than infrastructure or funding. It’s the involvement of communities, the alignment of policy with local realities, and flexible, inclusive models of learning that make change sustainable. As the UBE Act is revised, it presents a pivotal opportunity to promote these principles into law ensuring that no child is left behind, even in conflict-affected or hard-to-reach areas.
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