Stakeholders Emphasise Education’s Role in Poverty Reduction
Stakeholders in the educational sector have emphasised the critical role of education in reducing poverty and fostering economic growth. They highlighted how education profoundly impacts individual lives and contributes to national development.
A Professor of Comparative Law in Family, Succession & Trusts in the Department of Private & Property Law at the Faculty of Law, University of Lagos, Dr. Nwudego Chinwuba, highlighted the importance of elementary education during the unveiling of “The Eastern Side of Yaba Town: A Story of Ladi-Lak Institute and Lagos Elementary Education,” in Lagos.
Chinwuba mentioned that education harnesses the faculties of the mind, brain, and body to reduce poverty, increase individual earnings, reduce economic inequalities, promote economic growth, advance efforts at maintaining the planet, awaken the human mind to a positive interaction with the brain, and distinguish humans from savages.
He said: “Last year when the United Nations committed to the 2030 agenda for sustainable development, they recognised that “eradicating poverty in all its forms and dimensions, including extreme poverty, is the greatest global challenge and an indispensable requirement for sustainable development.”
“Considering the changing nature of the global economy, driven by technological advancements and globalization, it is now more important than ever to invest in human capital and ensure that everyone has the skills necessary to succeed. According to recent estimates, up to two billion of today’s jobs are at risk of being replaced by automation by 2030.”
He explained that education is a fundamental human right, as enshrined in Article 26 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights which states that education shall be directed towards the full development of the human personality and the strengthening of respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms. It also promotes understanding, tolerance, and friendship among all nations, racial or religious groups, and supports the activities of the United Nations for the maintenance of peace. He added that parents have a prior right to choose the kind of education that shall be given to their children.
He urged everyone to pay more attention to their children and their early education, which begins from birth to early childhood. He recommended charity in society as a tool for improving the educational system and contributing to humanity.
“My discourse is focused on the macro level of improving our early experiences as children and in primary schools as, elementary education. The micro perspectives must fall on the informal student associations and policy formulations on curricula. Rooms must be made by organised sectors for training, and conferences and lectures just as the present. It is only through pro-active actions such as these that a modern society can reclaim itself and be properly positioned for the immediacy of contemporary global competition for sustainable development,” he said.
Author and publisher of the book, David Fayemi Esq., stated that the book is essentially the history of Ladi-Lak Institute, Yaba, which explores the spread of Western education in Nigeria, tracing its origins and examining its current general outlook and philosophy.
He added that despite the evident development across the country, Lagos State remains the leader in terms of the number of primary and secondary educational institutions. He noted that the recent trend of universities founded by missions and individuals is a direct result of policies initiated by the National Universities Commission (NUC). However, this trend has brought mixed fortunes and challenges, particularly concerning the value of graduates from such institutions.
“Unlike the mission schools which insisted on absolute compliance with their doctrinal orientation, Ladi Lak, was designed to present Western education in its dynamic form, with more emphasis on rapid acquisition of the English language and such knowledge which prevailed in the English public school system,” he said
He, however, said that Ladi-Lak sought to raise its pupils in the English mode with an emphasis on grammar and numeracy which enabled the school to quickly develop a reputation for academic excellence, despite its diverse population drawn from virtually all parts of Nigeria, especially the Eastern and Western regions. The school even welcomed families from Ghana and Sierra Leone who had settled in Lagos.
