Following the worrisome standard of education in Edo North, indigenes of the area have suggested collaborative efforts be taken among governments, communities, non governmental organisations (NGOs), corporate organisations operating in the area and well meaning individuals to address what many have described as a major crisis for thousands of school children in Edo North.
Speakers include serving and retired seasoned educationists, traditional rulers and Afemai indigenes in Nigeria and the diaspora who spoke at a town hall webinar conference organised by Etsako Club 81 with the theme: ‘Education, the way forward in 2021 and beyond’.
They lamented that Afemailand is faced with dire consequences in the near future if nothing is done to urgently arrest the deteriorating standard of education in the region just as they affirmed that thousands of their children either lack basic reading and mathematics skills or are drop outs for various reasons.
Among solutions put forward to halt the dwindling state of education in the areas include the establishment of learning centers in communities and towns of the region, provision and upgrade of dilapidated school infrastructure, addressing poverty in rural communities and a reorientation of the value system in the country.
They called on governments to change their attitudes toward the development of education and tackle corruption in the sector and urged communities and well meaning indigenes to assist government by adopting a child and teachers policy for training in order to improve the region’s human capital development.
The Indigenes also urged the state government to provide quality education and retraining of teachers to equip them with the right skills and knowledge as well as make the teaching profession attractive with effective policies and remunerations.
Other suggestions are prioritizing of education funding by the state and local governments, improved technology for learning, strengthening the management of schools and its systems in the region.
President of Etsako Club 81, Dr. Mahmudu Dako said the region is faced with little and poor quality teaching personnel, inadequate supervision of academic activities, descript infrastructure, parents lackadaisical attitude to child education and political interference in the running and management of schools.
Dr. Dako called for support from well meaning sons and daughters of Afemailand to join hands with the club and governments to revamp the falling educational standard in their homeland.
He added that the future goals of Etsako Club 81 is to equip schools in the region with teaching equipment and well trained and dedicated staff and provide a learning environment to train future leaders for the region among others.
Keynote Speaker and Vice Chancellor of Edo State University, Iyamoh, Professor Emmanuel Aluyor among others urged government to establish a teacher training and technical college in Edo north as the region has no such institute for education manpower development at present.
Meanwhile, the President of Afemai World Congress (AWC), Dr. David Iyalomhe, spoke from California, United State of America and he disclosed that AWC has set aside the sum of N7 million to provide desks and chairs for selected schools in Etsakoland.
Other speakers include the National President of the All Nigerian Confederation of Principals of Secondary Schools (ANCOPSS), Mr. Aslem Izuagie, retired Directors of Education in Edo state, Mrs. Queensly Okhumale and Mr. Stephen Oshoke, US based Mrs. Grace Egbagbe Esq. the Idonigie of South Ibie, HRH Aliu Danesi and Patrick Inobemhe Esq. among others.
