Kunle Adelabu
As part of its strategies in engaging the residents through its Community Relations agenda, the Ikorodu – Oga Development Association (IKODASS) held a Stakeholders’ Meeting on Education in lkorodu division at the EROZ Place on Saturday, June 26, 2021.
The summit, which was held under the leadership of Mr. Rotimi Erogbogbo, the Chairman of IKODASS, was themed, ‘Education in Ikorodu : Another Look’.
As projected, the educational summit comprehensively evaluated the sector, noting the problems and challenges bedeviling it while also proferring enduring solutions to ameliorate the situation and means of addressing them.
Participants included critical stakeholders like teachers, parents, students and administrators.
The communiqué of the summit is reproduced below:
A COMMUNIQUE ISSUED AT THE END OF IKORODU DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION'S STAKEHOLDERS MEETING ON EDUCATION.
DATE: SATURDAY, 26TH JUNE,2021
PREAMBLE
The newly inaugurated executives of the Ikorodu-Oga Development Association have taken a quantum leap to combat the problems bedeviling education in Ikorodu by organizing a Stakeholders’ Meeting on the matter with the theme: ‘Education in Ikorodu : Another Look’. The meeting featured different important education stakeholders including representatives of the Ayangbure-in-Council, Private School Proprietors Association, Nigerian Union of Teachers, National Youth Council of Nigeria, Nigerian Police, National Association of Ikorodu Division Students, National Orientation Agency, Nigeria Drug Law Enforcement Agency, Parents’ Forum, Community Development Committee, Safety Ambassadors among others.
Presentations were made by all stakeholders to specifically highlight the problems and discuss probable solutions.
The problems highlighted include:
1. Failed parental responsibility and lack of proper monitoring and discipline of students by parents.
2. Inadequate funding of Education by Government and lack of support from stakeholders and private bodies leading to overpopulation of schools due to their few numbers and overuse of the few available facilities.
3. Preponderance of social vices which have pushed positive societal values to the background.
4. Wanton exposure of students to many social media negatives.
5. Decline in the quality of Education due to gatecrashers infiltrating the noble teaching profession.
6. Establishments around Schools are sometimes not properly taken into account before locating Schools. Schools are now located close to lounges, club houses and brothels which can expose students to several vices.
7. Government policy summersaults affect students adversely.
8. Lack of safety and security consciousness among Teachers, Parents and Students.
9. Absence of enough Voluntary Youth Activity groups to meaningfully engage Students in co-curricular activities.
10. Absence of active collaboration between Government, Community, Parents and Teachers in upscaling the Education Sector.
SOLUTIONS
1. Active dialogue with all relevant organs, especially the Lagos State Government. Stakeholders, elites and philanthropists should be enlisted to assist the government in the renovation, establishment and provision of school facilities.
2. Continuous training and retraining for teachers and exchange programmes for students both locally and internationally, should be encouraged to help their exposure and broaden their body of knowledge.
3. Ikorodu core values of Discipline, Integrity, Religious Tolerance and Self Reliance should be celebrated, encouraged and instilled in students.
4 More public Primary and Secondary Schools need to be established considering the rapid expansion of Ikorodu in all directions coupled with the growing population.
5. Parents should assume greater responsibilities on their Children, they should regulate the conduct of their Children at home and be more deliberate at instilling discipline.
6. The process of teachers recruitment and training should be upscaled to accommodate only qualified and passionate teachers.
7. Incompatible establishments close to schools such as night clubs, beer parlors, brothels capable of swaying the minds of students towards vices should be frowned upon and existing ones removed.
8. Private School owners should prioritize establishing schools for the purpose of growing the society rather than profit alone. Doing this would mean creating a benchmark of excellence in learning and character.
9. Prime focus should be placed on safety and security consciousness.
10. Government should not politicize education policies. Policies should be formulated with adequate input from committed stakeholders and industry professionals.
11. Integrity, Anti-Drug Abuse, Sports, Creative, Talent Development, Literary and Leadership clubs and many more should be encouraged in schools to positively engage students.
12. A Community Parent-Teachers Meeting Forum should be established as a matter of urgency to specifically address truancy and other deviant behaviours among other problems bedeviling Education.
13. There is a need for mentorship programmes and schemes such that schools and children are adopted by stakeholders and organizations for the purpose of monitoring, evaluating and inspecting progress.
14. Committee of experienced counsellors be formed with every school having a resident counselor.
15. Security apparatus set up by the Government as well as other corollary security operatives should extend their activities beyond school premises to even major roads traversed by the students.
ACTION:
Following the robust deliberations at the Education Stakeholders' Meeting, IKODASS shall pursue the following to help shore up Education in Ikorodu:
a.) Institute an annual Awards to celebrate schools and students that excel in academics; character; sports and arts in Ikorodu. A committee shall be empanelled to work out guidelines for the awards and appropriate rewards.
b.) Institute an annual Inter-Schools Sports Competition in various sports for schools in Ikorodu.
c.) Organise special target holiday skill-based training for young people in Ikorodu.
d.) Organise training/retraining programs for teachers in Ikorodu.
e.) Work with public spirited citizens to elevate the prestige of our schools and reduce the burden on teachers in public schools e.g. by providing public address systems etc.
f.) Work with our traditional rulers towards making land available for the government to build new schools.
g.) Work with appropriate government agencies to ensure students are not found on the streets or inappropriate places during school hours.
h.) Deploy widespread public enlightenment campaigns through the mass media to cause a positive behavior change.
CONCLUSION
It remains fully established that education is the bedrock of any society and a critical sector to a society’s growth, hence, all hands must be on deck in combating all enemies of this sector.
Government, Teachers, Parents and the Community are critical stakeholders and must be engaged thoroughly in effecting the desired change.
Rather than rest on our oars, it is cardinal to reignite our spirit in dutifully transforming the education sector.
CONTACT: 08023153350; 08039253721
Signed:
Mr Rotimi Erogbogbo,
IKODASS Chairman.
