Bauchi Students Demand Policymaking Role, Adopt 18 Education Resolutions

Secondary school students from 20 schools across Bauchi State have adopted 18 resolutions calling for reforms in the education sector and greater involvement of young people in policymaking as part of efforts to shape the state’s development agenda towards 2030.

The resolutions, contained in the Bauchi 2030 Student Communiqué, emerged from the Inter-School Debate and Education Dialogue 1.0, tagged “Ideas to Impact”, organised by the Sustainable Development Conversations Initiative (SDCI) in collaboration with the Civil Society Scaling Up Nutrition Nigeria Civil Society Network.

Held in Bauchi under the theme, “Bauchi 2030: The Future We Want, The Policies We Need”, the event brought together 40 students from 20 secondary schools to deliberate on critical development issues and propose practical solutions.

The students unanimously endorsed 18 resolutions covering six priority areas, which included access to quality education; technology and the future of learning; girl-child education and inclusion; curriculum, skills and employability; civic participation and student leadership; as well as accountability and policy implementation.

The communiqué seeks to provide government, educational institutions and development partners with practical recommendations informed by students’ experiences and perspectives while ensuring that young people have a voice in decisions affecting their education and future.

Speaking at the event, the Chief Executive Officer of SDCI, Sulaiman Ahmed Fanti, said the initiative was established on the conviction that meaningful development could not be achieved without involving the people it was intended to benefit.

He explained that the programme was designed to take young people’s ideas beyond academic discussions and policy documents by creating opportunities for them to participate in conversations on governance and decisions affecting their future.

Fanti said the initiative would serve as a bridge between citizens and public policy, encouraging children and young people to see themselves as critical thinkers, problem-solvers and active participants in societal development.

He added that the recommendations from the debate would be researched, refined and channelled into the organisation’s community development frameworks for further engagement with relevant stakeholders.

According to him, the current edition, which featured 20 schools and 40 participants, was a pilot programme, with plans to expand the initiative across Bauchi State next year to accommodate more schools and local government areas.

Also speaking, Prof Said Yusuf Umar, who represented the Vice-Chancellor of Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (ATBU), Bauchi, Prof Ibrahim Hassan Garba, urged the state government to consider adopting the students’ recommendations in its policy framework.

He also called on the organisers to formally present the proposals to relevant government authorities for consideration and possible implementation.

Umar commended SDCI for providing young people with a platform to contribute to discussions on issues affecting the development of Bauchi State and Nigeria.

He described the students’ presentations as relevant to the country’s development aspirations, noting that their recommendations demonstrated the capacity of young people to identify societal challenges and propose practical solutions.

The participants were challenged to think like policymakers by identifying existing problems, suggesting solutions and examining the resources, implementation strategies and accountability measures needed to achieve their development goals.

In her remarks, the Director of Private Schools at the Bauchi State Ministry of Education, Maryam Baba, commended the students for their performances, describing debate as an important extracurricular activity that builds confidence, strengthens intellectual capacity and improves public speaking skills.

She also praised teachers and coaches for identifying and developing the students’ potential, noting that the participants demonstrated an impressive understanding of governance and leadership.

Baba said the students presented their arguments with the confidence of people occupying leadership positions, clearly explaining what they would do differently if given the opportunity to govern the state.

Five schools participated in the grand finale of the competition, including FOMWAN, Government Day Senior Secondary School (GDSS), Gwallameji, Government Girls College, Minaret International Academy and El-Sadiq International Academy.

FOMWAN emerged overall winner, receiving a cash prize of N200,000 and three laptops. The second-place winner, GDSS Gwallameji, received N150,000, while the third-place winner received N100,000.

Yusuf Abdulmumini of GDSS Gwallameji, who emerged second, expressed happiness over his achievement and thanked God for the opportunity.

The overall winner attributed the school’s success to the guidance and coaching of its teacher, Malama Yahya, as well as the prayers and encouragement of their parents, particularly their mothers.

The students encouraged their colleagues to participate in debates and other intellectual competitions, stressing the importance of determination, preparation and continuous learning.

The organisers said the programme would remain a flagship initiative for bridging the gap between citizens and public policy while preparing young people for future leadership responsibilities.