Ezekwesili to deliver keynote address at Onosode Foundation lecture

Former Minister of Education and Co-Founder, Transparency International, Dr. Oby Ezekwesili, CFR, will today deliver the keynote address at the 2016 lecture of the Gamaliel & Susan Onosode Foundation.

The theme of the lecture, which is taking place at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA), Victoria Island, Lagos is, “Finding Solutions to the Problems of the Nigerian Education System: A Multi-stakeholder Approach.”

According to a statement signed by the chief operations officer of the foundation, Toyin Olanrewaju, also in attendance at the lecture would be discussants relevant to the sector, as the lecture aims to influence policy formulation and to contribute to strategic thinking on critical issues surrounding education in the country.

The statement stated that, “Education is a veritable tool necessary to equip individuals with skills required to navigate the complexities of an ever-changing world. Without doubt, education is fundamental to human existence, and provides both youths and adults the power to reflect and make choices that affect and invariably uplift their standards of living. It is a key ingredient in economic and social activity and therefore vital for effecting national development. Sadly, third world countries continue to perform below global educational ratings with Nigeria being no exception.

It added, “Some of the major challenges facing the educational sector in Nigeria are access, equity, value, relevance, quality, management and funding. A vibrant economy cannot be built on lack of access to education and low attendance at schools. According to UNESCO, it was estimated that over eight million Nigerian children were out of school in 2014 – the highest in the world. Transition and completion rates are poor, with 32 per cent transiting from primary to secondary school and only 10 per cent of eligible youths in tertiary education. The average completion rate for the primary school Nigerian girl is 65 per cent and 80 per cent for boys.