Speaking at the National Conference on the Learning Crisis
in Nigeria in Abuja on Wednesday, Chairman of the NGF, Governor Abdulrazaq Abdulrahman
of Kwara State, said resources must be provided for sustainable and promising
education.
The conference, organised by the Federal Ministry of
Education in collaboration with the United Nations Children’s Fund, UNICEF, has
the theme: ‘Scaling Foundational Literacy and Numeracy in Nigeria’.
Represented by the Vice Chairman of the NGF, Governor Seyi
Makinde of Oyo State, Abdulrahman said education is in crisis.
He insisted that a state of emergency should be declared in
the sector.
The NGF chairman stressed the need to remove all barriers,
such as gender, poverty, location, disabilities, language and ethnicity, that
could hinder children from accessing foundational literacy and numeracy.
“We must follow UNESCO standards for an education system that
is progressive and sustainable; governors at the various states must commit
above 15 percent of our budget to education.
“I support the call for a state of emergency but it must be
backed by actions, the resources must be provided and we must look at issues
that have mitigated against achieving that sustainable growth.
“It is one thing to declare a state of emergency but it’s
another thing to put all the resources and elements that will allow us to
achieve it.
“So I support putting the resources in place to allow us to
move fast at it. Our education is in crisis and a state of emergency should be
declared in all sectors. We need a solid roadmap and I believe it is a
collective involvement,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Minister of State for Education, Dr Yusuf
Sununu, said the learning crisis had been a challenge the education sector is
faced with which needs urgent solution.
“The consequences of the learning crisis are far-reaching
and profound as we risk widening the already significant education gap, perpetuating
a cycle of poverty, illiteracy, diseases and stifling innovation and progress.
“Education is the cornerstone of societal progress and
individual empowerment, yet the challenges we currently confront demand our
immediate attention, dedication, and action.
“In recent years, Nigeria has been grappling with a severe
learning crisis that hinders our youth from achieving their fullest potential.
“A significant portion of our school-aged population,
especially those in underserved communities, face barriers to access quality
education.
“The factors contributing to this crisis are multifaceted
and include inadequate infrastructure, teacher shortage, unequal distribution
of resources, outdated curricula, and socio-economic disparities,” he said.
0 comments:
Post a Comment