Yakubu Busari
The Federation Of Muslim Women’s Association in Nigeria, FOMWAN, has challenged Northern leaders to improve on the standard of learning in crises prune areas of the northern Nigeria and give priority to the training of girl child to reduce poverty in sub-saharan Africa.
The Participants across the States at the 18th Educational Summit, Organized to brainstorm intensively how to cross-examine some of the critical areas affecting educational standard in Nigeria and come rollout with recommendations that could help in solving the menace.
The summit, with the theme, “Overhauling the education system in Nigeria: The Philosophy, The Curriculum, Teacher Education And Quality Assurance” draws participants from all over the federation, FOMWAN National PRO, Dr. Sumaye Hamza, confirms.
Speaking at the four days event which opens Thursday at the Hill station Hotel , Jos, plateau state, Prof. Garba Sharubutu and Dr. Sheikh Khalid Aliyu said educational curriculum is well structured to give the Nation the best system of education, saying what is lacking is lack of good will by the government in the implementation of the policy.
They all emphasize the need to prioritize the education sector so as to move the nation forward, most especially the strengthening of Girl Child Education.
Earlier in a welcome address, the chairperson, FOMWAN National Education Committee, Dr. Lateefa Durosimi said FOMWAN is an Education-focused organization the promotes educational development of women, youths and children through the establishment of formal and non formal schools including running of vocational centres all over the federation.
She said the Annual summit of the Federation Of Muslim Women’s Association in Nigeria, FOMWAN, is part of the Association’s strategies to mobilize the populace, and awaken the consciousness of relevant stakeholders on the importance of education.
“FOMWAN continues to be concerned about the state of education in Nigeria, and therefore examines burning issues from time to time. The relevance of education in the socio-economic, political, scientific and technology advancement of any country cannot be over emphasized.
“Nigerian government must lay emphasis on the training and retraining of teachers at all levels, particularly at the foundation level and ensure that only qualified teachers are allowed to teach.
“Government must also channel sufficient resources into support for educational activities and institutions”.
Also speaking, the National Admiral Halima Jibril commended federal government’s Home Grown School Feeding Programme which she said is currently being implemented in 20 states, advocating that it should be extended to all other states of the federation.
She decried the rising level of drugs abuse among the youths, as well as unemployment, and called on the federation government to declare a state of emergency on drug menace by enforcing the existing laws to punish those who seek to enrich themselves by destroying youths.
“We also made strong call on the federal ministry of education to review and realign the curriculum to ensure that products of our educational system have the skills that will make them marketable and employable.
“We call on federal and state governments to increase the annual education budget from 7% to at least 15% even if it cannot meet the 26% recommended by UNESCO”.
