By Philip Yatai  

The Kaduna State Ministry of Education on Thursday met with Zonal Directors and their deputies to strategise on how to improve service delivery in the education sector.

The Commissioner for Education, Dr Shehu Makarafi said at the opening of the meeting in Kaduna, that the measure was to move the sector forward and improve access to inclusive and quality education.

Makarfi explained that the meeting was organised to outline challenges, strengths and opportunities in education service delivery at zonal levels, with a view to strategise on the best way forward.

“We want the zonal directors and their deputies to tell us what their challenges are and how to tackle them so that we will all be on the same page in delivering our mandate.

“The directors and other principal officers at the zonal level need to know their roles in the implementation of education policies and how to effectively carry out their task.” he said.

Also speaking, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Mrs Phoebe Yayi, described the zonal offices as “crucial” in the delivery of education services.

Yayi added that the meeting was designed to reinvigorate the zonal heads to discharge their duties accordingly.

“We have realised, over time, that some functions that ought to be taken care of at zonal offices are being pushed to the headquarters by the zonal directors.

“Sometimes we sent circular from the headquarters, but it does not get down to the schools. This is unacceptable.

“We want to hear from them what the problems are and how to address them. They are the ones at the grassroots and will be in better positions to tell us how to do better,” she said.

She said that the meeting was first in series of meetings that would be held to ensure that only the right people that can effectively deliver quality services were saddle with responsibilities at zonal level.

The Head of Service, Hajiya Bariatu Mohammed, also said that the meeting would spur the officials to discharge their duties in line with the current administration’s Public Service Revitalisation and Renewal Programme.

Mohammed, who was represented by a Permanent Secretary in her office, Mr Ibrahim Jere, noted the crucial role of zonal officials to the success of the programme in the education sector.

According to her, the zonal directors and their deputies must align themselves to the vision and aspiration of the current administration in the education sector.