Introduction:

On the 16th of December, 2015 CITAD hosted key stakeholders for the National presentation of the research reports on the state of education in the Northeast. The National presentation which held at the Newton park hotel, Abuja, had Alhaji Tijjani Tumsah, Vice Chairman Presidential Committee on the Northeast Initiative as Chairman of the event, also in attendance were  education commissioners, Perm. Secs, Directors, Members of Federal and State Assemblies, SUBEB Chairmen and Directors, P.T.A Chairmen, Development partners, Professionals from Universities and other educational institutions, media, researchers, cluster members and other CSOs. The main objective of the National presentation was for the stakeholders to look at the reports and generate a possible change agenda for the restoration of the education sector in the region. The individual reports have been validated at the state level before the National presentation.

Major problems

Below are the major problems with the education in the Northeast as highlighted at the event

* Even though Northeast is facing serious challenges of insurgency, education sector suffers the most as schools have been destroyed which forced children to be out of schools

*  There is lack of political will from the policy makers

* There is low enrollment and high drop out

* Education is poorly funded 

* Some state governments do not make commitment to access UBEC funds because of the counter-part funding 

* There is  a significant number of unqualified teachers 

* There is lack of teachers motivation especially those posted to rural areas 

Major recommendations 

*  We all have  a big responsibility of putting hands together to develop a strategy for rebuilding the educational sector 

* Solutions to North East really have to come from the North East

* The need to allocate the UNESCO recommended 26% of the state budget to education 

* Stakeholders need to put more efforts to ensure judicious utilization of education funds 

* Lawmakers need to come with education supporting legislations

* The need to declare state of emergency on education in the Northeast 

* Stakeholders especially the CSOs need to do more in the area of public awareness on the need to send children to school and control drop out 

* The need to strengthen guidance and counselling centres in sechools 

* The need to strengthen teachers college 

* State governments need to partner with local governments to access UBEC funds  

Some commitments

* State Education Commissioners/Perm. Secs commended CITAD effort and expressed readiness to partner with the project, and implement some reserach recommendations were possible    

* USAID/SACE Chief of Party expressed commitments to continue supporting CITAD to continue making constructive engagement 

* CITAD and cluster members expressed readiness to continue the engagement at state, zonal and national level

* Some officials from the states education ministries promised to provided additional date for the researchers to improve on the quality of the report.