Boko Haram Would Affect Achievement Of MDGs - CCSG

The Coalition of Civil society Groups (CCSG) in Abuja, over the weekend has lamented that the activities of Boko Haram would affect the Millennium Development Goal of Universal primary education by 2015.

This is based on an independent evaluation and assessment performance project report on the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), presented by the group.

The report, which was presented to newsmen at a briefing, indicated that Nigeria’s education sector may not achieve its goals by 2015.

The group noted that the activities of insurgents in the North-East has affected over 800 school buildings, rendering 194,664 students as victims, report has revealed.

According to the president of the group, Etuk Bassey Williams, out of the 15 countries benefitting from the UNESCO projects, Nigeria tends to have a fewer than 80 per cent of its primary school age children enrolled by 2015.

The research further revealed that conflicts, gender discrimination, child labour, ignorance and poverty were major causes of the increase in out-of-school children in the country.

He said the assessment carried out in partnership with Sihle Masonso-Africa partnership for Civil Society, Kristen Strong-World Economic Development and Emeretine Christisle-centre for educational development United Kingdom, among others, was to ascertain the level of progress made in the formulation and implementation of policies for the successful operation of the Universal Basic Education in Nigeria.

Etuk said this included the role of the UBEC in actualising the core mandate of an unhindered access to primary and junior secondary school education by Nigeria children