By Ifeoma Ikem
A non governmental organisation (NGO) known as concerned parents and Educators today brought stakeholders together to deliberate on how to find lasting solution to education problems facing Nigeria.
The group founder and convener Mrs Yinka Ogunde who addressed the press in Lagos said the meeting by the CPE herald the historic advocacy campaign for education reforms in Nigeria.
She noted that there is no better time than now to embark on this advocacy for change, considering the gross decay in Nigeria educational sector and the danger it portends for our children now and in the near future.
She quoted the former president of South Africa,Nelson Mandela once said that, “Education is the most powerful weapon which can be used to change the world. ” That, of course is if it is channeled towards the right direction.
Concerned Parents and Educators Network( CPE) actually started four years ago as an online platform with the main objective of bringing together keys stakeholders in the education sector to deliberate on ways we can improve standards in our schools,empower teachers with necessary information and skills, support parents, protect our children and generally ensure that we have better outcomes in our schools and in the lives of our children.
The group has about 116,000 members across Nigeria deliberating on issues that are critical to the development of education sector and finding solutions to the multiple challenges inherent to the educational sector.
Mrs Ogunde, explain that many people in Nigeria are complaining that graduates being chuned out of our universities are unemployable. Then why are they unemployable? What are the process that we need to do to make sure our children can compete favourable with others across the world.
The convener noted there is need to do something to revamp the educational need of the country. “If we don’t do anything nothing 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 move challenging to do” she said.
She further stated that there is serious mobilization going on in different states across Nigeria as CPE chapters have been inaugurated in 21states includes,Abia,Abuja,Anambra,Benue,Delta,Edo,Ekiti,Enugu,Imo,Ogun,Ondo,Osun,Oyo,Plateau,Rivers,Niger,Kwara,Kano,Katsina,Kaduna,Kogi and of course Lagos State.
The group has line up a month long programme in February to advocate the educational challenge of the country. The first week is speak out, week two video challenge, week three “Name” school help campaign, week four presentation of letters to state commissioners.