Education
20m Out-Of-School-Children: Kachikwu advocates urgent Action
Government at all levels must wake up to take urgent action targeted at reducing the current population of Out-Of-School-Children in the country recently estimated at 20million, the Presidential Candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Dumebi Kachikwu, has said.
It would be recalled that last week, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), in partnership with Global Education Monitoring Report, had indicated that the number of out-of-school children in Nigeria had risen to 20 million.
Kachikwu spoke in a goodwill message to mark the International Literacy Day (ILD) 2022 globally celebrated on September 8, annually.
This year’s ILD is being celebrated worldwide under the theme: “Transforming Literacy Learning Spaces.”
He also challenged the Federal, States, Local Governments and private education providers to to up the ante in their efforts to create safe learning spaces in the country in view of the destructive effects of the activities of criminal elements on the advancement of literacy in the country.
Kachukwu further called on all stakeholders in the education sector to use the opportunity afforded by the global celebration to rethink the fundamental importance of literacy learning spaces to build resilience and ensure quality, equitable, and inclusive education for all in Nigeria.
He lamented that some criminal elements in the country having sworn to halt western education had been visiting untold mayhem and violent attacks on educational institutions in some parts of the country leading to killings and massive abduction of school pupils and students.
The Presidential touch bearer decried a situation where some of the victims of abduction in schools are still languishing in the enclaves of their captors.
Kachikwu said: “This is unacceptable! The primary function of government remains the security and welfare of its people. Therefore, the Federal Government has no choice but to ensure that all victims of school abductions are freed and safely reunited with their families.
“Nigeria cannot achieve high level literacy if schools don’t have the requisite security and conducive environment necessary for learning.”
He listed some of the factors militating against literacy in the country to include poor funding, lack of appropriate training, retraining and motivation for teachers, sex predators, insecurity and other cultural and religious practices.
“Both the federal and some state governments had at one time or the other in recent times ordered closure of educational institutions in some parts of the country due to threats of attacks by bandits and insurgents.
“Unless the prevailing insecurity is revered and the issues of poor remuneration, decaying infrastructure and lack of motivation for teachers are tackled frontally, education in Nigeria will continue to suffer hiccups.
“The government need not be reminded that it has all it takes to address these challenges and ensure that education which is the harbinger of literacy continue to flourish in Nigeria,” Kachikwu said.
He however called on Nigerians to take advantage of the forthcoming general elections to vote in competent leaders with the requisite zeal and drive to revamp the nation’s education sector as well as other critical socio-economic sectors that would improve the livelihoods of the masses.
International Literacy Day was founded by proclamation of The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, or UNESCO, in 1966 “to remind the public of the importance of literacy as a matter of dignity and human rights.”
The Managing Director and CEO of the Bank of Industry (BOI), Dr. Olasupo Olusi, has called for a comprehensive curriculum overhaul in Nigerian universities to better align with global trends and equip graduates with practical skills. Speaking at the 10th special convention of the Ekiti State University Alumni Association in Abuja, Dr. Olusi highlighted the urgent need to bridge the gap between theory and practical application in Nigerian higher education.
Dr. Olusi noted that while Nigeria is rich in human and natural resources, progress in technology and economic development remains slow due to universities’ focus on theoretical knowledge over hands-on training. He emphasized that significant investments in research and technical skill development are essential for positioning Nigeria as a competitive force in the global economy.
Echoing this sentiment, Ekiti State University’s Vice-Chancellor, Professor Joseph Ayodele, called on alumni to contribute to their alma mater, emphasizing that alumni support plays a critical role in building a strong academic foundation and fostering innovative research. The institution’s Chancellor, Dr. Tunji Olowolafe, similarly urged alumni associations to prioritize initiatives that support university growth and student success.
Global President of the Ekiti State University Alumni Association, Dipo Bamisaye, stressed the need for Nigerian universities to continuously pursue excellence to remain competitive globally. Dr. Wale Jegede, Chairman of the institution’s Board of Trustees, commended the state governor for his dedication to quality education, particularly through the appointment of capable academics to guide the university’s progress.
The convention also honored notable alumni who have made significant contributions to the university’s development. Among those recognized were Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, former presidential aide Mr. Kingsley Kuku, Chancellor Dr. Tunji Olowolafe, Vice-Chancellor Professor Joseph Ayodele, and BOI MD Dr. Olasupo Olusi.
Reinforcing its commitment to the institution’s advancement, the Bank of Industry recently proposed a 2.5 billion Naira development fund to Ekiti State University, underscoring its dedication to driving growth in Nigeria’s educational sector.
The Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) and the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) have announced a nationwide indefinite strike beginning Monday.
This decision, coordinated by the Joint Action Committee (JAC) of non-teaching university staff unions, is in protest of unpaid salaries withheld during a past strike involving the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) under the previous administration.
The JAC, in a circular addressed to branch chairmen of NASU and SSANU, stated that the strike, initially set for October 23, was postponed to October 27 to align with the Trade Group Council meeting held in Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria.
The document, signed by NASU General Secretary Prince Peters Adeyemi and SSANU President Comrade Mohammed Ibrahim, cited delays from the Ministry of Finance in implementing President Bola Tinubu’s recent directive to release 50 percent of the outstanding four-month salaries.
The unions expressed frustration over the government’s perceived lack of commitment to resolve the issue, emphasizing their readiness to maintain the strike until all withheld salaries are released.
The JAC’s circular read: “We express our deepest appreciation for your steadfast commitment to the leadership and we affirm our determination to persist in this struggle until ultimate victory is secured.”
The decision highlights ongoing labor tensions in Nigeria’s education sector, as non-teaching staff urge the government to uphold previous agreements and fulfill financial obligations.
By Friday Idachaba, Lokoja
A professor of Political Science and former Vice Chancellor of Adekunle Ajasin University, Akoko Akungba, Prof. Nahzeem Olufemi Mimiko, has advocated reimagining as the only way to overcome challenges bedeviling Nigerian universities.
He said that reimagining was requisite to make the institutions to be competitive, and capable of driving wholesome national development
Prof. Mimiko made the remarks in a lecture at the 8th Convocation Lecture of Federal University Lokoja (FUL) on the the topic: “Reimaging Nigeria’s (University) Education For Wholesome National Development” held at Felele Campus, Lokoja.
He also identified poor funding and corruption in the system as some of the major obstacles to the nation’s university education system
Mimiko noted that corruption has assumed endemic proportion requiring reimaging, radical rethink to reposition Nigeria’s university education system away from the negative status quo.
The foremost Nigeria. Educational Administrator and the only Vice Chancellor delegate at the National Conference in Nigeria held in 2014 under the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan decried what he called mediocre level of funding of universities in Nigeria.
According to him Nigeria remains one of the countries in the world that are yet to meet the UNESCO-recommended threshold for education funding, at 15 to 20 per cent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) (UNESCO, 2015)”
Prof. Mimiko noted that physical facilities for teaching and learning in the Nigeria’s tertiary education were inadequate, dilapidated, overstretched/overcrowded and improvised.
The Professor of Political Science and International Relations reiterated his stance that the dearth of basic learning resources could equally be attributed to corruption adding that majority of the universities in the country were grossly understaffed.
“I reference corruption here not just in the narrow sense as financial corruption, but also reflected in inanities like provincialism; and cultivation of crop of indolent staff.
“The only way to overcome challenges bedeviling Nigerian universities is the reimagining requisite for making these institutions to be competitive, and capable of driving wholesome national development”
Comparing university education with that of Polytechnic, Professor Mimiko recommended that university education in Nigeria should remain focused on the more conceptual dimension of the knowledge enterprise.
He said that technical education as being administered by polytechnics should be devoted to producing middle level manpower in technical competencies.
Prof. Mimiko also maintained that the nation must adopt learning and teaching in local languages for it to grow and develop adding that teaching in the local languages remain the panacea.
He stated that the nation’s present educational system where learning is done in foreign languages was counterproductive urging Nigeria to take a cue from China, India, Japan among others that teach in their local languages.
Earlier, the Vice Chancellor of Federal University, Lokoja, Professor Olayemi Akinwumi said that the lecture is geared towards providing intellectual discuss and described the guest lecturer as erudite scholar who knows his onions.
“We are committed to celebrating our academic excellence as the topic of the lecture is very relevant to our future career and guidance
“The lecture no doubt will contribute immensely to Nigeria’s educational and economic landscape” Professor Olayemi Akinwumi said. (Ends)
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