By HUSSAINA YAKUBU

The maiden edition of the National Education Quality Assurance Policy Committee Meeting is currently underway at the National Teachers’ Institute (NTI) in Kaduna.

Organised by the Quality Assurance Service Department of the Federal Ministry of Education, the event is taking place from September 2 to 4.

The meeting was declared open by the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Education, Mr Abel Enitan, represented by the Director, Coordinating Evaluator, Federal Education Quality Assurance, Kaduna State Office, Mr Ayodele Samson.

Enitan stated that the theme of the conference, ‘Improving Education Quality Assurance Policies, Processes, and Practices in Nigeria’, was both timely and of paramount importance.

The permanent secretary, in an address read on his behalf, emphasised that it’s time to move beyond merely ensuring access to education and focus on the quality of education.

Enitan stated that the committee was conceived not as another bureaucratic framework, but as a strategic intervention to reposition Education Quality Assurance as the cornerstone of Nigeria’s national educational agenda.

”We are here to review, refine, and revitalise the policies, processes, and practices that govern how we ensure quality at the basic and secondary levels of education,” he said.

Enitan further stated that in the days ahead, the focus must be on harmonising regulations and standards across the education sector.

This, he said, was with the view to strengthening monitoring and evaluation mechanisms, as well as planning to leverage technology for real-time data collection and analysis.

This is also to ensure the inclusiveness and accessibility of quality assurance to all basic and secondary education institutions, especially those in underserved areas.

Earlier, the Director of the Federal Education Quality Assurance Service Department, Federal Ministry of Education, Mr Adegboye Adekunle, stated that the establishment of the committee marked the culmination of extensive peer review, stakeholder engagement, and robust deliberations.

This, he explained, was aimed at addressing the foundational pillars of Nigeria’s educational system.

Adekunle informed the committee members that the challenges in the sector now include disparities in learning outcomes and the need for curriculum modernisation.

Others were teacher quality and welfare, infrastructure deficits, as well as the urgent need to align education with 21st-century skills such as critical thinking, creativity, and digital literacy.

The director stated that the National Education Quality Assurance Policy Committee has been convened to provide strategic direction, oversight, and technical leadership in the formulation, implementation, and monitoring of a comprehensive quality assurance framework for all levels of education in Nigeria.

“Together, let us build an education system that we can all be proud of-one that nurtures talent, fosters innovation, and drives national transformation,” he added.

In a goodwill message, the Director and Chief Executive of the National Teachers’ Institute (NTI), Kaduna, Prof. Sadiya Sani-Daura, whose message was read by Dr Kayode Jegede, Deputy Director of Field Operations, Students’ Services and Quality Assurance Department, stated that the Institute was delighted to host the committee’s maiden meeting.

Delivering the message to the committee members, Jegede expressed optimism that the deliberations would yield valuable insights and strategies to strengthen the country’s quality assurance framework.

The keynote address was delivered by Prof. Abubakar Usman Zaria, Director-General of the Kaduna State Schools Quality Assurance Authority.

Papers were presented by the Director-General of the Benue State Bureau for Education Quality Assurance and directors of quality assurance.

The meeting is being attended by relevant representatives, including Dr James Fatakum from FCDO/PLANE, quality assurance Directors from various states, and other important stakeholders.

The First National Education Quality Assurance Policy Committee Meeting, which commenced on September 2, will conclude on September 4.(NAN)