Stakeholders in the education sector have called for all inclusive and qualitative education for Nigerians through systematic approach and strategy that would positively affect the sector.
The stakeholders made the call in Abuja on Thursday, at a National Education Summit on Building Qualitative, Inclusive and Adaptive Education System: Meeting Modern-Day Education Challenges in Nigeria.
Mrs Olufunso Owasanoye, Executive Director, Human Development Initiative (HDI), said that building inclusive and qualitative education was not only the business of government but collective responsibility.
“Education is not business as usual but the responsibility of everybody. In our own little corner, we have to look at the strategy and approach to move education from the level it is now to the next level.
“COVID-19 has changed so many things, so we need to change our value system. Education is beyond the four walls of the classroom and everybody must be involved,” she said.
Owasanoye commended the efforts of government, international organisations and stakeholders for reshaping education in the country.
She added that though the country was not where it should be in the areas of education, adding that the sector was progressing but all that was required was to rebuild the foundation.
Also, Hon. Wahab Alawiye, Executive Chairman, Lagos State Universal Basic Education Board, said that decline in family virtues had contributed to the menace of value system in most schools.
Alawiye was reacting to the occurrence of bullying and other social vices in schools by teachers and students.
He added that if nothing was done to address these menace, it could result into truancy and avoidance of schools by students.
“We are quite aware of the fact that our sector in the digital sector is under a siege. Many of these schools are becoming theatre of violence and theatre of cruelty.
“Teachers killing pupils, pupils attacking teachers and students attacking other students are becoming the order. It is unfortunate we all have to do something about it.
“We all know it that we have a very critical issue at hand which is the family decline, the most important institutions in our social life- the family is no longer there.
“We have female heading households, single parenting and irresponsible parenting which has contributed immensely to what is happening in our society.
“Yes, bullying is a menace we must all attack headlong in the sense that it will lead to school avoidance and truancy in most cases,” he said.
According to Alawiye, if we must make education all inclusive, all hands must be on deck to attack the social vices now common in the schools in recent times.
He said there was the need for stakeholders to collaborate and get the problems solved in ensuring the country has the best education system that would be reckoned with.
According to him, we must certainly make education all inclusive, comfortable, healthy and supportive.
“You know, everybody must be supportive in that regard. Education is a social good, that means it is not rejectable, not excusable and not rivalrous in consumption.
“So, it must be all inclusive, it is a matter of everybody getting involved as government alone cannot do it.
“For us to have a very conducive learning environment, it required forming alliances, building consensus and making sure we work together because education is an ecosystem and that means we need to work together,” he said.
He added that stakeholders must come together in making the world a better place to be able to achieve all the Sustainable Development Goals 17. (NAN)
