An educational expert from Akwa Ibom state, Mr. John Bassey, has advocated increase budget in check the dwindling educational system in Nigeria.
Principal of Ray-Field Int’l Secondary School, Bassey, told journalists during the 2021 Matriculation/Graduation ceremonies on Saturday in Uyo, Akwa Ibom state capital that the 21st century education is a tool in addressing emerging global issues.
He said there was need for government at all levels to put in more in the budgetary for educational sector of the country which he said will enable them to acquire gadgets and facilities to meet the standard of 21st century education in other developed countries of the world.
“The government, both at local, state and federal should look into the dwindling situation in educational sector and bring in curriculum and discipline used in private schools, to enable students to compete with other students in private schools.
“The government should understand what is lacking in the sector and know what can be done. They can borrow ideas from the private schools to help in restructuring the educational system and let it be in the same level with the private schools.
“In a situation that teachers don’t go to classes, how would he students learn? The government, parents and students have roles to play in this situation.”
The government must provide the enabling environment, the parents must be ready to release their children to learn and also be ready to do remaining parts that the government may not do, and the students must be willing and ready to learn.
“If you have noticed, no school prepared for the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown that affected everyone globally. As a school, we looked at what we could do in that situation.
“Irrespective of whatever situation, education must continue and the students must be taught. We quickly devised the means of reaching out to the students even in their homes to make sure that they still get what they needed to get. And that is what informed the 21st century education.
“If it was back in those days, without the gadgets and facilities, definitely everything would’ve been short down. But we were able to still teach as a normal term.
“We now look at the 21st century education as a tool of reaching out to the students, irrespective of whatever circumstances we find ourselves.”
Bassey called on government and other institutions to make good use of the 21st education and see how they can make it better for the children.
The director of Ray-Field International Secondary School, Mr. Aniekan Sam Edem, admonished the graduating students to be good ambassadors and make good use of the quality education impacted on them by the school.
The event, which took place at the school premises located at Nsukara Offot, Uyo had in attendance the Commissioner for Education, Mrs. Idongesit Etiebet and her Information/Strategist counterpart, Ini Ememobong who was also represented by the Director of Information in the ministry, Mr. James Edet, as well as the vice chancellor of the University of Uyo, Prof. Nyaudoh Ndaeyo.
