New Telegraph

Osinbajo seeks universal revolution in education sector

 

 

 

The Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo (SAN) has launched the World Education Week, a six-day online global education with the call for Universal Education Revolution.

 

This is as the Teach For Nigeria announced 10 by 10 SDG 4 Pledge, which aimed at improving learning outcomes of 10 million children across Nigeria. The World Education Week showcased over 85,000 registered online participants from 146 countries, who rallied support for education as a key foundation for bringing countries out of poverty.

 

The World Education Week serves to strengthen efforts to achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goal 4 of Quality Education (SDG website). In his remarks, the Vice President applauded the conference, saying: “I commend all the organisers and partners of the World Education Week forum, especially the schools and teachers worldwide, for exchanging innovative ideas on how to solve our global educational challenges. “This forum will go a long way in strengthening the efforts of the governments to catalyse the collective attainment of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

 

We cannot talk about delivering quality education in today’s world without rethinking our models and leveraging on technology; and rethinking our education curricula to give students the relevant knowledge and skills to make them active contributors in today’s economy.”

 

With the central theme of the Week “Learning Today,” in which each participating school will host a virtual event to demonstrate to thousands of other educators how to bring about change, based on their experiences. In her keynote address, the Chief Executive Officer of Teach For Nigeria (TFN), Folawe Omikunle, said: “The challenge we face requires unity.

 

Thus, all stakeholders need to support the government’s efforts towards ensuring that we lift our country out of poverty. At a steady pace, over the next 10 years we will reach 500,000 children, but in order to meet the SDGs, we take this 10 by 10 Pledge to stretch ourselves so that we double our capacity and efforts to contribute to this goal.

 

The 10 by 10 Pledge is a moral pledge that requires those that sign it to come together on a regular basis to share and support the work of all pledgers in order to achieve the potential of our country.”

 

Also, the Chairman Board of Directors of Teach For Nigeria, Mr. Gbenga Oyebode, pointed out that the success of any society begins with the education of the young people and this needs to happen for all children in the country.

 

 

“This is why Teach For Nigeria is concerned about strengthening the public education system in Nigeria through developing a movement of leaders across the nation, who are committed to putting an end to educational inequity,” he said.

 

On the timeliness of the 10 by 10 SDG 4 Pledge, Oyebode noted that “with the sorry state of education in the country, which is compounded by the negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, there was no other way for the organisation to meet the SDGs without partnering other stakeholders, particularly local NGOs to address the impact.

 

“I am proud to have Teach For Nigeria lead the moral pledge and commitment to invite nine other local NGOs to commit to accelerating efforts towards the actualisation of SDG4,” he added.

 

With over 150 speakers and presentations to several thousands of stakeholders, the Founder of the World Education Week, Vikas Pota, a globally respected leader and driving force in the education, international development, philanthropy and technology sectors, said: “I am incredibly inspired by the schools that applied to take part in this year’s World Education Week.

 

Pota added: “Their commitment to improving the life chances of their learners by nurturing expertise and to share their experience with others, especially in these challenging times, says a lot about the global education community.

 

They are our heroes and World Education Week provides an opportunity not only to learn from them, but also to celebrate their successes. By sharing the ways in which these schools have developed their expertise, we can encourage others to feel inspired to undertake the same journey to excellence.

 

That is a real and tangible way in which World Education Week can accelerate progress on achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals.”

 

The global online launch plenary was attended global leaders in education, including Founder of World Education Week,Vikas Pota; the Global Director for Education at the World Bank, Jaime Saavedra; the Director for Education & Skills at the OECD, Andreas Schleicher; and the General Secretary of Education International, David Edwards, all of whom shared their visions of accelerating progress toward the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. No fewer than six Nigerian schools played key roles in the inaugural showcase of the week, which held between October 5 and 9.

 

They include Dream Catchers Academy in Ikorodu, Lagos; Christ Anglican Primary School in Ijebu-Ife, Ogun State; LGEA Kurmin Mashi School in Kaduna; Local Government School III in Sango Ota, Ogun State; Baptist Primary School in Ogbogbo and Ikangba Erinlu United Anglican Primary School.

 

Participating schools, according to the organisers, were selected based on their expertise across a wide range of educational themes, such as enhancing employability and lifeskills; deepening family and community engagement; the use of technology; a focus on well-being; and promoting the science of learning and teaching.

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