Today is the International Day of Education and it’s indeed a moment of reflection and a call for sincere check on the educational sector of our nation, which is the bedrock of any progressive society. Albeit, we must agree that our educational system is retrogressing, no thanks to the cankerworm that has eaten deeply into the educational fabrics.
The challenges are just too numerous to mention, ranging from the obsolete curriculum, unqualified teachers to dilapidated classrooms, including poor parental upbringing, which culminated into the many social vices prevalent in our society.
The current pandemic has really exposed the epilepsy in our educational system, which is an indication that Nigeria’s educational system is still very substandard. The Covid-19 has uncovered the inability of Nigeria’s universities to impart knowledge remotely, beyond the four walls of the classroom; which is a pointer to how backward the educational system has gone.
Also, the perennial strikes have left students more outside the campus than inside. This is unbecoming of a progressive nation. We use this opportunity to call on the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari to find a lasting solution to the lingering strikes in our higher education system. We advise the government to adequately fund education and enjoin other stakeholders to reach a compromise with the government in order to put an end to the incessant strikes and decaying infrastructures that has enveloped the tertiary education in the country.
However, we commend the Lagos State Government for the initiative on Eko excel programme as well as the continuous training for teachers in Lagos State for efficiency and better productivity, while also acknowledging the mouth-watering gifts extended to the Best teacher in the State; this gesture will undoubtedly motivate others in discharging their duties diligently.
Let me reiterate that provision of sound education is not just the responsibility of the government, it requires all hands to be on deck to deliver the society of our dream. As we celebrate the UN International Day of Education, the Lagos State Government is reminded on the need to bring back Voluntary Organizations to our primary and Secondary Schools with proper monitoring.
This is the time to invest in education, if we truly want the youths to proffer lasting solutions to some of our national challenges.
Lekan Biliamin Oba,
Chairman, NYCN Lagos State Chapter
