To create awareness and To assess the knowledge gap in education reporting. sensitization of 167 education stakeholders comprising of 134 journalists and 33 representatives from the Civil Society Organisations in six ESSPIN states.

1. Akin Jimoh

2. The series of one-day sensitization of
167 education stakeholders
comprising of 134 journalists and 33
representatives from the Civil Society
Organisations in six ESSPIN states and
the FCT began on Monday July 30,
2012 in Abuja and ended in Enugu on
Thursday, September 13, 2012

3. Date Location Total No of No of Organizers No from CSOs No of Journalists Assessment form Applications received
participants (ESSPIN and Submitted
DEVCOMS)
July 30, 2012 Nigerlink Hotel Abuja 29 6 2 21 18 15
July 31, 2012 NUJ Press Centre, 28 5 4 19 16 6
Kaduna State
August 1, 2012 Mambaya House Kano 21 3 5 13 12 11
State
August 2, 2012 SLGP Jigawa State 22 3 7 12 11 13
August 8, 2012 DevComs office Lagos 32 4 6 22 18 17
State
August 14, 2012 Rehoboth Hotel Kwara 37 5 8 24 23 21
State
September 13, 2012 Bayview Hotel Enugu 28 4 1 23 20 20
State
Total at Sensitization All locations 197 30 33 134 118 103
167
Total expected 161 140

4.  To create awareness about Journalism
Development Programme (JDP)
 To assess the knowledge gap in education
reporting
 To engage journalists in the journey of
building citizens that will welcome and
support initiatives to reform education sector
in Nigeria

5.  The sensitization in Abuja was held on July
30, 2012 at Nigerlink Hotel, Zone 4, Wuse,
Abuja.
 A total of 29 participants attended the
sensitization including 21 journalists
 The total participants at the sensitization
exceeded the 23 expected number of
participants by six

7.  How is ESSPIN working to improve
policies?
 Are
we really getting value for
money paid in private schools?

8.  ESSPIN works to improve policies through
surveys, interaction with policy makers,
display of best practices etc.
 If nothing is done by the stakeholders (media,
CSOs etc) to make government revamp public
schools, the private schools will continue to
extort the public.

9.  The sensitization in Kaduna was held on
Tuesday July 31, 2012 at NUJ press centre,
Kaduna
 There were 28 participants in attendance -
19 journalists and 9 participants from CSOs
 The total participants at the sensitization
exceeded the 23 expected number of
participants by 5.

11.  The minimum qualification for teaching used
to be NCE, is it still the same?
 How does ESSPIN impact on the National
Training Institute (NTI)?
 What are the challenges ESSPIN faces in the
state?

12.  The minimum qualification is still NCE but
SSCE gradates still teach
 ESSPIN showcase good practices and does not
affect how NTI is run.
 One challenge faced is getting local
government buy in. In addition, money from
government, MDG not getting to schools.

13.  The sensitization in Kano was held on
Wednesday 1st August, 2012 at Centre for
Democratic Research and Training, Mambaya
House, Kano State
 There were 21 participants in attendance - 13
journalists and 8 representatives from
DevComs, ESSPIN and other CSOs in Kano
State.

15.  Do you think they will accept western
education into Tsangaya education
 What measures are being taken by journalists
to ensure sustainability
 If the government don’t scale up the process,
what will be the situation?
 How does ESSPIN monitor investments?

16.  The trained teachers are members of the
communities appointed by the community
members.
 ESSPIN is trying to involve the government to take
over the initiative when it leaves
 It is better to start first then we can talk of scaling
up
 Monitoring is the essence of the SBMC. It is better
for the community to own the project

17.  The sensitization in Jigawa was held on
Thursday 2nd August, 2012 at SLGP office,
Nuhu Muhammad Sanusi Way, Dutse, Jigawa
State.
 The total number of participants who
attended the sensitization was 22
 This number includes twelve journalists,
seven representatives of CSOs in Jigawa.

19.  Whyare teachers in
Jigawa not qualified?

20.  Some of the pillars of the Greek Temple are neglected.
Attention is focused on the 6th pillar (infrastructure
improvement) while the first to 5th pillars are ignored.
The 1st to 5th pillars are as follows: Head Teacher
Development, Teacher Development, School
Development Plans, Development of SBMCs and
inclusive practices.
 However, competence is not qualification. Unqualified
teachers are being sent to the college of education in
the State

21.  The sensitization in Lagos was held on
Wednesday August 8, 2012 at DevComs
Office, Surulere Lagos
 A total of 32 participants attended the
sensitization including 22 journalists, 6
participants from CSOs in Lagos and 4
participants from ESSPIN and DevComs
Network.

23.  Is there a way to help journalists push out
stories killed in the newsroom?
 Can one make a leaving from online means of
disseminating news?

24.  The Editor of Total Education, a newspaper
dedicated to education reporting said his
medium will publish any stories rejected in
other newsrooms. The use of social medium
is also very important in news dissemination.
 Bloggers can make money from adverts if
they have many people following their page.

25.  The sensitization in Kwara was held on Tuesday
August 14, 2012 at Rehoboth hotel, Tanke Ilorin
 It was gathered that a total of 37 participants
attended the sensitization including 24
journalists, 8 participants from CSOs in Ilorin and
5 participants from ESSPIN and DevComs
Network.

27.  Who are QABs? Are they not government officials?
 What is the impact on students as there are mass
failure in WAEC and NECO despite ESSPIN’s effort
to have better teachers and infrastructures?
 Is ESSPIN looking into the area of examining body
and government?
 Why do Journalists fail to use stories from CSOs

28.  QABs are saddled with the responsibilities of
inspecting schools and have nothing to do
with the government.
 ESSPIN does not work with examination
bodies. They are mostly concerned with
primary education
 One or two cases of not using stories by CSOs
should not be allowed to give negative
perception about the media.

29.  It was held on Thursday 13th September, 2012 at
Bayview Resorts and Hotels Enugu
 A total of 28 participants attended the
sensitization including 23 journalists, one
participant from CSO (Mewood) in Enugu and 4
participants from ESSPIN and DevComs

31.  Why was Udi adopted as the pilot local
government? Is it because the government
came from there?
 What if the government have a better idea
and decide to follow it?
 How will ESSPIN sustain their efforts beyond
2014.

32.  Udi was adopted based on research
conducted.
 ESSPIN offers ideas and does not compel the
government to do what it proposes
 Government needs to use the state money to
fund education in the state.

33. Abuja:
 Some private schools in Abuja where parents pay as much as
N500,000 don’t have good teachers.
 It was gathered that some parents in Kaduna have moved their
children from private schools to public schools because of the
quality in the public schools
 Participants’ knowledge of social media is not sufficient. The
participants requested for training on the use of social media.
 CSACEFA representative says the problem in education is not the
government but the problem of the stakeholders who should be
concerned with how government policies are implemented.
 CSACEFA representative commends the toilet and infrastructure in
Abia despite collecting 1million naira.

34. Kaduna
 According to Kaduna STL, there was hardly any difference
between qualified and unqualified teachers when assessed.
 ESSPIN supports 482 public schools out of over 4000 public
schools in Kaduna.
 The average total score of grade 4 pupils in Literacy, Math,
Applied Literacy and Applied Maths was 12.81%.
 83.6% of teachers in Kaduna scored <25% total test score when
assessed.
 There is a lackadaisical attitude towards public schools because
people concerned send their wards to private schools.

35. Kano
 There is a need for Schools to be consulted whenever
government is planning its budget for education.
 ESSPIN is working in 3 LGEAs in Kano State as pilot.
 School infrastructural improvement can be achieved when
government provide funds for School-based management
committees to be able.
 IQTE in Kano is accepted in kano communities because
members of the communities appoint the teachers
themselves.
 Kano State government has committed 60 million naira to
the project this year

36. Jigawa
 Education reports are scarce in Jigawa – Alhaji Kalli A.
Kori
 Jigawa is sending unqualified teachers to the college
of education in the state
 Some teachers who teach in Jigawa may not be
qualified but competent
 Jigawa is operating in 198 pilot schools which
equals 25% of 9 LGEAs
 1380 teachers’ capacity has been built by ESSPIN

37. Lagos
 Journalists confirm that some stories are killed in the newsroom and
want avenue to push them out
 Number of journalist who use blog are very few just 2 out of the total
participants
 Some pupils in Lagos face a lot of challenges getting to school on water
 Journalists were moved after watching ESSPIN documentary on the state
of education in Lagos and vowed to be more investigative and ‘pushy’
when reporting education.
 Stories about decay in education can be done in a subtle way without
being confrontational
 It is not wise to discuss with policy makers about a decay before
speaking with the people affected, i.e the people affected should be
approached first before policy makers

38. Kwara
 Funding QAB for better school inspections is a challenge in
Kwara state
 Supporting formation and funding of SBMC for greater
accountability is also a challenge in Kwara
 Strengthening government / CSO partnership is a
challenge in Kwara
 CSOs and Media have not been working together very well
as the CSO representatives accused the media of not using
their stories
 ESSPIN works in 4 pilot LGEAs in Kwara State

39. Enugu
 The challenges of journalists in the state make it difficult for
journalists to write good investigative stories
 Journalists question the adoption of UDI by ESSPIN as its pilot
LGA claiming that it is the governors’ town.
 Journalists expressed worries that improving education standard
in a particular LGA may create gaps among the students.
Resulting in a situation where pupils in a LGA doing better than
the others
 It was gathered that ESSPIN gives advice to the government and
does not compel or impose its ideas on government.
 It is essential for state governments to use their own resources
to improve education standard in their states

40. Thanks for listening