The fight against western education by the Boko Haram sect, has been blamed on the preference for Islamic education practice in Northern Nigeria.

The executive chairman, Nasarawa State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Mr Abdulkareem Mohammed, made the observation with regards to education in the north, at a forum with chairmen of Local Government Areas in the state.

Addressing reporters on the side-line of the the forum in Lafia, the state capital, the SUBEB chairman insisted that the anti-western education struggle of the insurgent group, was misguided and a catalyst for northern retrogression and under development.

The forum of education stakeholders comprising of local government chairmen, education secretaries and SUBEB in the state, is aimed at addressing the challenges in the education sector.

A major concern for the participants is the retrogression and backward educational practice in northern Nigeria.

The most unfortunate dimension however, is that the Boko Haram sect are fighting against sound education which the north urgently needs.

While the challenges of inadequate teaching staff persist, the forum of education secretaries, say urgent steps must be taken to address the supervisory problem.

For an inclusive growth in the basic education sub-sector in the state, one of the local government chairmen, Suleiman Wambai, called for harmonised guideline between stakeholders and government to ensure the delivery of quality education to pupils.

Education is known to be the foundation of any developed society, but the increasing threats to education in Northern Nigeria, including Boko Haram are holding the region down and it may continue in the backwardness and under development, if the issues are not addressed.