The importance of education Let me start this small write up by thanking Ganiyu Musa Kolawole for asking me last week (via fb) to write in Ira latest news on fb. You know ... sometime unconsciously you leave the most important thing undone and focusing on less important issues. In fact, writing on Ira latest News and Ira related pages/blogs should have been my initial priority. Today I will like to share with you the importance of education. Education is one strong instrument that can break cycle of poverty in a family. Education is so important that is one of rights of a child. Every child should have the chance to go to school; not school under trees or inconducive classrooms but a standard school. A place that is called school MUST satisfy the process of teaching and learning by making sure that students are well taught, with adequate teaching aids and qualified teachers. Nigerian educational institutions at all level cannot be said to meet the basic requirements of educational institutions. Unilorin was a pathetic scene when I visited this year, even worse was Kwara State Polytechnic (IOT) and Ira Grammar School. The government of Nigeria and indeed Kwara State have denied us and our children “the right to quality education, the right to dignity, the right of peoples to their wealth and natural resources and to economic and social development guaranteed by Articles 1, 2, 17, 21 and 22 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights.” In spite of the quality of our school I will encourage those who are capable of pursuing formal education to do so. One good thing about education is that it will improve your opportunities in life; increasing the possibility of getting a good job, better life for your family and break to the cycle of poverty. Apparently, it is important to have a solid background in formative years through primary education. Our government has not focused so much on primary and secondary education in public schools maybe because they lack empathy. The Federal Government of Nigeria submitted an objection to a suit through the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), that education is “a mere directive policy of the government and not a legal entitlement of the citizens.” You can see why the education sector is neglected completely by the government in all three tiers. What I am driving at is that high quality education can change/transform people and communities. Even further afield, quality education will help in increasing our level of awareness, to understand our rights as a citizen and will enhance better understanding of contemporary issues around the globe. As a community it will enable us to work together in order to make our community open, strong and viable. In order to achieve all the laudable benefits of education we must make sure that a place we called school in our community meet at least minimum requirements of where learning and teaching can take place. A place where what the student learn actually improves their opportunities in life. A place where there will be laboratories with reagents, classrooms with necessary teaching aids, computer room that will equip the students for the future and qualified teachers that are up to the tasks. It is also important to have career counsellors who will provide adequate counselling to the young students about future career opportunities. It is one thing to spend four or more years in the university or polytechnic but is another thing to do a marketable course. This advice is for those who have similar background like me; your dream is not enough is what is marketable. In view of laxity by the present governments in Nigeria, we as a community need to help ourselves and our schools in order to achieve the benefits of good and quality education. We have registered Ira Education Foundation (IEF) couple of months ago. But we are having problems in opening bank account due to EFCC directives or requirements in opening account for foundations (that is my understanding). We are trying to open the account and meeting all the legal requirements and I am sure those that are driving the process of opening the bank account are trying to resolve the obstacle. As of present we have got pledges of N750,000 but without a bank account registered under the name of IEF I cannot and will not ask people to donate to individual account. That is the stumbling block for now, hopefully it will be resolved soon. Education is very important and collectively we can make a difference in our community. When the bank account is opened I will let you know. Ira koni baje oo!
Posted on: Wed, 12 Mar 2014 11:42:47 +0000
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