As the world commemorates the fifth International Day of Education, Tuesday, the National Association of Seadogs, also known as Pyrates Confraternity, Kwara state branch has described Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq’s efforts in transforming the educational fortune of the state as a momentous achievement in line with the UNESCO’s focus on the Day.
The association commended the governor for injecting passion and commitment to repositioning and refocusing basic education in the state, as against what it was during the previous administrations, in the recent past.
In a press release marking the day, the branch Capoon, Engr. Adeolu Sayomi said given that his members were conversant with the legacy inherited by the governor in the area of basic education, the association was satisfied that “there is passion, there is commitment, there is focus, and there is the burning desire to protect our children and ensure they get the best in basic education
“We were on ground here, in Kwara State when a report of the Universal Basic Education Commission in 2019 indicted the state for refusing to pay the counterpart funds that would allow the state to access the matching grant of N6,245,355,130.05. This was the cumulative amount that Kwara state failed to access as of July 2019.
“From the record, Kwara failed to access the following matching grants: N952,297,297.30 for 2011-2012; N1,918,783,783.78 for 2015-2016; N1,286,343,183.55 for 2017; N1,473,832,845.21 for 2018, and N614,097,018.83 for 2019.
“It is heartwarming that today, the state has accessed these funds and taking accelerated actions that are substantially improving the condition of schools and the quality of learning received by pupils and students.
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, UNESCO has since 2018 declared January 24 of every as International Day of Education.
This year’s edition is celebrated under the theme “to invest in people, prioritize education”, building on the global momentum generated by the UN Transforming Education Summit in September 2022.
The Day calls for maintaining strong political mobilization around education and charting how commitments and global initiatives are translated into action. The celebration by its design is intended to rally the international community around six calls to action that each carry the potential to accelerate change.
UNESCO dedicates this year's edition to girls and women in Afghanistan who have been deprived of their right to education. It is calling for the immediate lifting of the ban restricting their access to education.
While noting the governor’s accomplishments, the association nonetheless pointed out some gtey areas pleadding that he paid more attention, especially with regard to the quality of education and to the monitoring and evaluation exercise.
The release reads in part:“We believe it is what is taught and learnt that shapes the character of individuals and nations. But it is not just teaching, governments must lead this ethical revolution by rewarding ethical behaviour and ensuring speedy punishment for misconduct.
“We, in this regard, noted the awards bestowed by the state on deserving teachers at the close of the year and urge that misconducts are also rewarded.
“More importantly, we believe that there is a need to get the school environment safer and more secure. It is the responsibility of the government to ensure that the security of schools goes beyond the traditional measure of installing perimeter fencing.
“We are of the strong view that schools would need to adopt more effective measures that would guarantee the safety of students, particularly at this time when the country is faced with security challenges.
“Particularly germane to this is the Violence Against Person’s Prohibition Act (VAPP), which has just been domesticated in the state, and the Child Rights Act, which especially prohibits school-age children from being on the street during school hours, without genuine reasons. We are aware that thisAct has also been codified in the state.
“By providing legislation that protects the rights of its children, Kwara State has taken the right decision to provide its children the enabling environment to thrive and reach their full potential.
Putting in place these laws is good, but just the first step. Kwara State Government must take the next important step by putting in place structures and allocating resources for its full implementation” It concluded
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