Oluchi Chibuzor
To promote and engender educational reforms in the country’s educational sector, a non-governmental organisation (NGO), Concerned Parents and Educators Initiative (CPE) has begun a national advocacy drive.
The initiative is aimed at improving the quality of the education in the country and encourage inclusive participation from all sector in the country.
Speaking during the unveiling of the National Advocacy Campaign for Transformation in the country’s education sector, the Principal Partner, Edumark Consult and Founder, Concerned Parents and Educators Networks, Mrs. Yinka Ogunde, said it would help raise the consciousness of Nigerians towards education initiative.
She said, “There is no better time than now to embark on the advocacy for change, considering the gross decay in the education sector, and the danger it portends for Nigerian children now and in the future.
“Many people complain that the graduates being churned out of our universities today are unemployable. The question is, why are they unemployable? What are the processes that we need to put in place to make them employable? What are the things we need to do to make sure our children can compete favourably with others across the world?
“At this time, we can no longer ignore what is happening in our schools, be it public or private; be it low-cost or high-brow. So, all hands must be on deck to engage key stakeholders: corporate organisation, religious organisations, traditional rulers, community leaders, parents, teachers, civil society groups and others, let them know that it is time for us to transform the education sector in Nigeria.”
Ogunde, noted that the group has chosen February as Education Transformation Advocacy Month, noting the reason is simple, “If we don’t do anything, nothing is going to change. We need people who will be able to take ownership of the problems and not just talk about the problems. It is so easy to talk but it is more challenging to do.”
Meanwhile, mobilisation is ongoing in different parts country where CPE has chapters in Abia, Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja, Anambra, Benue, Delta, Edo, Ekiti, Enugu, Imo, Ogun, Ondo, Osun, Oyo, Plateau, Rivers, Niger, Kwara, Katsina, Kaduna, Kano, Kogi , Lagos State.
