… lauds smart schools project by Gov Mbah
From Maurice Okafor, Enugu
Stakeholders from some African countries, accredited ambassadors from the International Human Rights Commission (IHRC), the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations (ECOSOC), and other delegates have advocated for improved funding of the education sector.
The stakeholders, who participated in a five-day-long conference with the theme ‘The Development of Education in Developing Countries’ held in Enugu, harped on the need for increased national and international funding for the education sector, describing it as the bedrock of human development.
The conference, which is the maiden edition of the ‘NigEducators and International Human Rights Commission Model United Nations (NigMUN), tagged’ ‘Enugu Declaration 2024’, called for the establishment of policies that will enthrone inclusive education in all countries so as to ensure equal access to standard and quality education for the poor and vulnerable children with those of the rich.
The President of NigMUN, Dr. Tivilunum Abure, who is also the Director-General,Global International Human Rights Commission (IHRC), said the conference was able to come up with activities gazzetted in three documents that will guide the development of education, mostly in Africa.
He commended the leading role of tNESCO in implementing the Education for All action plan, stating that protecting the rights of children all over the world should remain a priority of the international community .
He also tasked non-government organizations (NGO’s) and the private sector to join in the task of increasing funding for the education sector across the globe while commending the initiative of the ‘Smart Schools’ project embarked upon by the Enugu state government.
The conference also advocated for compulsory primary and secondary education for girls and women, encouraging the inclusion of vocational and technical schools as a panacea for skills development.
Part of the communique read by Dr. Abure reads,
” Ensuring that educational curricula, methodologies, and training yield high-levels of literacy and life skills.
“Encouraging support for the development of the potential and talents of children and young people,the provision and mainstreaming of skills development and training in technical, technological, and vocational schools,taking into account national and local needs in cooperation with relevant economic actors.”
The stakeholders who used the opportunity of the NigEducators conference in Enugu to visit the construction site of the Enugu state ‘Smart School’ project in Owo community, Nkanu East council area, commended Governor Mbah for the initiative.
Dr. Leo Ebenezer, who heads the education secretariat of the Nigeria Governors Forum, disclosed that Governor Mbah exceeded the recommendation of between 15 and 20 percent investment in the education sector for every governor, stating that Enugu state, under Governor Mbah allocated 33 percent of its annual budget to the development of education in the state.
He stated, “TThe advocacy at the Governors Forum is that every state should allocate 15 to 20 percent of their budget to education. Enugu state has surpassed that, and with the smart schools, Enugu state has done9 an excellent job to tell the other states that this is what we need in this country. It is not just talking about out of school; it is talking about quality.”
The Country Director, Congo Brazzaville, Mr. Valentine Meri, equally applauded the Smart Schools initiative in Enugu State.
His words: “From what we have seen here, we noticed that Nigeria is actually a leader in the domain of education. We intend to reproduce or to copy what we have seen here in our various countries.”
The President, NigMUN, and Director General, IHRC, Dr. Abure, said the Smart School project in Enugu State should be replicated all over Africa.
Dr. Abure stated, “It is my job to ensure this kind of thing is replicated somewhere else and in all the places in Africa.
“Everyone should be proud of what is happening in Enugu State. There is a man here who is doing more than the UNESCO prescription for the use of budget in the education sector.”
Checks revealed that Governor Mbah’s vision is to build a Smart School in each of the 260 electoral ward in Enugu state.
