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From Jude Chinedu, Enugu
The Enugu State Government has partnered with the Federal Government and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) to roll out a 10-year Education Sector Plan aimed at transforming the state’s education system.
The Education Sector Plan (SESP) 2026–2035, developed alongside the State Education Sector Operational Plan (SESOP) and Local Education Sector Operational Plan (LESOP), is designed to provide a long-term strategic direction and practical framework for improving education delivery across the state.
The initiative is being implemented in collaboration with the National Institute for Educational Planning and Administration (NIEPA), with focus on access, equity and inclusion, quality teaching and learning, infrastructure, teacher capacity, governance, financing and effective management.
Speaking at the dissemination of the validated plans in Enugu, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education, Stella Ogbodo, who represented the Commissioner for Education, Prof Ndubueze Mbah, said the development of the documents demonstrated the state government’s commitment to evidence-based planning and sustainable development.
She said: “The development and validation of these documents demonstrate the commitment of the Enugu State Government to evidence-based education planning, effective resource allocation, improved service delivery and sustainable development of the education sector.
“The Enugu State Education Sector Plan 2026–2035 provides the long-term strategic direction for the development of education in the state. It provides a framework for addressing identified challenges while taking advantage of emerging opportunities to improve the quality, relevance, equity and effectiveness of education delivery.”
According to her, the plan emphasises access, equity and inclusiveness, quality and relevance, infrastructure, governance, management and efficiency, resilience and emergency preparedness, and sustainable financing.
Ogbodo urged stakeholders to ensure that the plans did not remain policy documents without implementation.
“The success of the SESP, SESOP and LESOP will ultimately depend on what we do with them after today. They must serve as living instruments for planning, implementation, monitoring and accountability, rather than documents that remain on shelves.
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“I therefore call on all stakeholders to work together to move from planning to implementation, from commitments to measurable results, and from individual interventions to coordinated sector-wide action,” she said.
Also speaking, NIEPA Director-General/Chief Executive, Dr A.D. Shofoyeke, represented by the NIEPA/UNICEF Desk Officer, Sunday Adegbesan, said the collaboration with UNICEF covered Lagos, Enugu, Jigawa, Sokoto and Adamawa states.
He said the exercise commenced in 2025 with the review of existing education sector plans and training of education managers and EMIS officers on evidence-based planning, equity and disability inclusion, among others.
Shofoyeke said: “Our approach was holistic, addressing issues such as access to education, reduction of out-of-school children, disability inclusiveness in education, quality of teaching and learning, management and efficiency, infrastructure development, teacher training, curriculum enhancement, stakeholder engagement and funding.
“I want to emphasise that this collaboration is not just about drafting plans; it is about implementation and impact. We are committed to ensuring that these plans translate into tangible improvements in the education sector, positively impacting the lives of children and communities across these states.”
UNICEF Education Manager, Nigeria Country Office, Jutaro Sakamoto, said many children in Enugu and Nigeria remained out of school, while some enrolled children were not acquiring adequate skills.
He said: “Education is a basic human right which every single child should embrace. However, many children in Enugu State and in Nigeria are still out of school, excluded from education and learning. Even many of those who enrolled in school do not learn enough or develop the skills they need to participate and thrive in the local labour market and also society.”
He said UNICEF was supporting Enugu with technical assistance to strengthen education planning and deliver quality, inclusive education services.
Director, Planning, Research and Statistics, Ministry of Education, Mbah Michael, said data from the Annual School Census informed the planning process.
He said: “Our collective task now is to ensure that the priorities contained in the plans are translated into annual programmes, activities, budgets and measurable results. We must ensure that planning, budgeting, implementation, monitoring and reporting are properly aligned.”
He urged Education Boards, Local Government Education Authorities, schools, teachers, communities and development partners to take ownership of the plans.
