By Jumai Nwachukwu/Amayindi Yakubu
THE Civil Society Action Coalition on Education for All (CSACEFA), has called on the Delta State Government and development partners to prioritise predictable funding and targeted interventions for rural and riverine schools, warning that policy achievements in the education sector will not yield results without sustained investment and stronger monitoring mechanisms
The call came during the coalition’s 25th anniversary celebration, where stakeholders renewed their commitment to ensuring inclusive and equitable education for all children in Delta State.
Tracing the coalition’s journey from a group of 40 education-focused organisations formed ahead of the World Education Forum in Dakar to a nationwide network of over 600 member organisations, Delta State Coordinator of CSACEFA, Mrs. Nzemeka Juliana, said the group remains dedicated to identifying gaps in the education system and advising government on strategic interventions.
“CSACEFA exists to identify where lapses occur in the education sector and to guide the government on how to address them,” she said. Mrs. Juliana commended the state government for recent initiatives such as bursary disbursements but lamented that many children in remote areas still lack access to quality education due to inadequate teachers, classrooms, learning materials, and sanitation facilities. “Education is a fundamental right and a proven tool for breaking the cycle of poverty,” she said, adding that the anniversary theme, ‘Sustaining the Vision: Advancing Advocacy and Civil Society Mobilization,’ underscored the coalition’s commitment to amplifying the voices of marginalised learners, including children with disabilities.
Mrs. Juliana also highlighted CSACEFA’s ongoing collaboration with the National Commission for the Almajiri and Out-of-School Children to identify and support vulnerable learners in Delta State. She commended the government for disbursing bursaries to 30,116 students in 2023 and 32,028 students in 2024, and for recruiting teaching and non-teaching staff, while stressing the need for targeted investments in underserved communities.
Reaffirming partnerships with Education Out Loud (managed by Oxfam IBIS), the Global Partnership for Education, and the Malala Fund, CSACEFA pledged to continue mobilising civil society to hold government accountable and advocate for budgetary commitments that prioritise girls, learners with disabilities, and other marginalised groups. Similarly, partner organisations at the event echoed CSACEFA’s call for stronger accountability and sustainable financing. Mrs. Josephine Omodion, Executive Director of Eye on the Future Initiative, said civil society continues to engage the government to promote transparency and better outcomes. “We invite the government to our events so they can hear our side of the story and identify ways to raise the bar for education in the state,” she noted.
