This powerful manifesto presents a bold vision for transforming the education landscape in Adamawa State. Developed and endorsed by a broad coalition of 44 civil society organizations, religious institutions, and traditional leaders, including Centre LSD, Malala Fund, and CODE, it lays out an urgent, evidence-based agenda to secure 12 years of safe, free, and quality education for every child in the state.

Framed around three pillars, Fund More. Fund Better. Provide Quality Education for All. Make Schools Safe, the manifesto outlines critical gaps in education financing, infrastructure, teaching quality, and school safety. It calls for the state to meet its budgetary commitment of 22.5% for education, eliminate hidden fees, roll out gender-responsive budgeting, and ensure the implementation of the Safe Schools Declaration.

The manifesto is rooted in a troubling reality: 30.2% of primary-aged children and 45.7% of secondary school-aged girls in Adamawa are out of school. It also highlights teacher shortages, poor infrastructure, harmful cultural norms, and the disproportionate impact of poverty and insecurity on girls’ education.

Backed by data and community consultation, this document is both a call to action and a roadmap for the incoming state government to reverse decades of educational neglect. It emphasizes that investing in education is not just a moral imperative, it’s a pathway to breaking cycles of poverty, promoting peace, and unlocking the full potential of Adamawa’s children.