Osinbajo Advocates Provision of Basic Education for Girl-child, Others

Osinbajo Advocates Provision of Basic Education for Girl-child, Others

Deji Elumoye in Abuja

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has called on government at all levels to deliver on their roles on provision of basic education for the benefit of all Nigerians, especially the girl-child.

Osinbajo made the call over the weekend as the special guest at the Mallpai Foundation 2021 Literacy Day, with the theme: “Promoting Literacy for Better Education in Nigeria,” in Abuja.
According to him, education is the best ticket to the full enjoyment of all human civil, socio-political and economic rights.

He observed that getting disadvantaged out-of-school children into formal education is a massive challenge, especially where, in some cases, the prevailing culture is an obstacle.

While commending the Foundation for its initiative towards improving people’s access to education and skills acquisition opportunities for poor and underprivileged communities, the vice president reiterated that a lot needs to be done through the courage of individual and corporate convictions, for the goals of girl-child education to be achieved.

Osinbajo said: “So, when we talk about human rights that have been declared, the only way to access those rights, including economic rights, is by education at the most basic level. The ability to read and write, not just in one’s own language, but other global languages is crucial; to be deprived of education is to be deprived of means of pursuit of a dignified existence.

“It is the only means where one can fully contest or collaborate with others for the benefits that life offers and it is so important for us, especially those who are policy makers. We owe our people the duty to educate them, we owe our people the duty to lift their minds to the level where they can benefit maximally from their environment and give benefits to others.

“Every study, every survey that you have seen confirms that education, especially of women, has a multiplier effect on everything around them. If you educate a woman, she transforms her environment completely. It usually means a longer life span for herself and for her children.

It means they are less likely to die of communicable diseases, since they understand the modern practices of hygiene and sanitation and follow useful material on healthcare. All of these things are possible; everything is possible if the mind of a human being is educated.”

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