Stakeholders are demanding reforms in Africa’s education sector

Education stakeholders have called for urgent action to address the education crisis across Africa.

They called for investment in education in Africa as a tool to drive social change.

Education experts have noted that quality education is essential to strengthening democratic governance in Africa.

The experts made the call on Thursday in Edo State during the Goodluck Jonathan Foundation’s annual dialogue on democracy with the theme “2024: Applauds EdoBEST Education Reforms”.

GJF Executive Director, Ann Iyonu, described education as the primary means of empowering citizens in every nation.

Iyonu said: “Education is the primary means of empowering citizens for any nation, and functional education goes beyond what can usually be obtained on the continent.

“This year’s theme, which focused on ‘Functional Leadership and Effective Political Leadership as a Panacea for Africa’s Growth and Development’, aimed to highlight the urgent crisis in the education sector and seek consensus on the urgency of developing a strategy for education regions in Africa.”

The keynote speaker, Olubayi Olubayi, condemned the deplorable state of the education system while describing necessary reforms in the system.

Olubayi noted that to ensure a functional education system in Africa, every stakeholder must take responsibility.

“For Africa to make progress towards functional education, we must take responsibility for doing what others have done, not necessarily what we are told.

“When thinking about education and leadership, although it is important to educate all children, we must recognize the existence and specificity of special/talented children and create appropriate conditions for their development,” he advised.

On her part, the Edo State Commissioner for Education, Dr. Joan Osa-Oviawe, outlined the numerous reforms in the state’s education sector as envisioned by Governor Godwin Obaseki and how these reforms brought Edo to the list of accelerator countries despite being just a state.

Osa-Oviawe, however, lamented the unfavorable indicators prevailing in the national education system while highlighting the transformation of the Edo Basic Education Sector (EdoBEST2.0) as one that has reaped rich returns for the state.

Earlier, former President Goodluck Jonathan thanked Obaseki for giving the foundation the honor of organizing the annual dialogue on democracy in the state.

Jonathan also praised the governor for his vision to make Edo a model state in terms of educational reforms.

He urged the governor to continue to expand the geographic scope of viewing beyond the state.