Buhari: State Of Nigeria’s Education Worrisome
He listed the effects of decades of neglect suffered by the sector as including an estimated 13.2 million children out of school, high illiteracy level, infrastructural deficit and decay as well as unqualified teachers and inadequate instructional materials.
“One of the primary roles of education is to build and sustain individual and societyโs development. It renews and improves the economic, social, political and cultural aspects of any nation. Education upgrades the living standard of citizens and enables people to become better and more productive citizens. It is a human right that creates a safe, healthy and prosperous society. It changes the visions and perspectives of individuals, enhances critical decisions and improves democracy. Indeed education is paramount and necessary requirement for all-round development.
“Nigeriaโs participation in all relevant international education fora together with our investment in education and collaboration with development partners is an indication of high level of commitment towards ensuring that every capable Nigerian receives good quality education. These efforts are justifiable only to the extent that schooling is effective in promoting the realization of national objectives, attaining the Sustainable Development Goals and Education For All by 2030.These targets are, happily, in harmony with the manifesto and the CHANGE agenda of our Party, the All Progressive Congress. It is also in agreement with my campaign promises during the 2015 elections exercise and in pursuit of the yearnings and aspirations of the generality of Nigerian citizens.”
The president said the summit must sharpen government’s strategies for addressing the challenges of basic and secondary education, teacher training and professional development as well as technical and vocational education.
He said the summit must also work to enhance quality in, and access to, higher education and other challenges in the sector that could debar Nigeria from attaining the SDGs and be among the top 20 economies in the world.
He said he expected that after the summit, the government would come up with feasible, implementable and far-reaching action plans for the ministerial strategic plan that would make education play the pivotal role as the engine that drives national prosperity and development.
In a reference toย the ongoing primary school reforms in Kaduna State, President Buhari describedย a situation where those engaged for teaching could not pass their own examinations as very serious and tragic.
Earlier, Education Minister Adamu Adamu suggested ways of eliminating mediocrity in the sector, saying “If we give regulatory agencies the teeth to bite and do their work, mediocre teachers will soon disappear from our classrooms. If we insist on professionalism with appropriate deadlines set for those who teach, the situation will improve phenomenally.”
He said Nigeria’s education system would improve if automatic scholarship is offered to students who take education as well as automatic employment andย preferential compensation package to those who take to teaching as a profession.
The minister stressed the need to harmonize the learning and teaching in tertiary institutions as well as redefine national goals periodically
Adamu, who urged improved funding for the sector, Said it would take Buhari’s administration N1trillion annually for the next four years to fulfill its 13 campaign promises on education.
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Source: Daily Trust