Nigerian women have called on all education stakeholders and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) to return back to the classroom and save the future of Nigerian children, who are forced to stay home and delay their educational advancement.
Newly elected President, National Council Of Women Societies (NCSW), Hajiya, Lami Adamu, said this in Abuja as she commended the women for the repository of trust.
She said the action of ASUU and the federal government has endangered and jeopardized the education of Nigerian children in school and urged all stakeholders to find a solution to the problem.
Adamu who noted that, “the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) is on strike and our universities are shut down with our children’s academic future again clearly endangered, even jeopardised.
“At the heart of this strike debacle is the funding of higher education and the role of government. The primary reason for this contradiction is that Nigeria currently spends more than four times on higher education than it spends on basic education.
Adamu noted that university training dwells on research that could further advance society, however, the demand does not capture this and remains a sad commentary in Nigeria’s education sector.
“But despite this funding, it has remained insufficient and ineffective, so much that between 90 – 95 percent of budget allocation to tertiary institutions are spent on personnel costs.
There is, therefore, hardly anything left for research and innovation, which should be the fundamental reason for tertiary education.
There must be a reasoned evolution of a common ground to save our children’s future and our tertiary education. This will enable us to compete with the rest of the world. Both the government and ASUU must therefore resume genuine dialogue.
Guest lecturer, at the National Council For Women Societies Nigeria Convention, Nafisa Zaki, who said education was said critical to a woman’s development like all human minds maintained that safety of the Nigerian woman would promote national security and peaceful engagement within the local and global system.
She charged Nigerian women to ensure their mindset was continually poised to promote national security for a safer Nigeria.
Zaki who delivered a lecture on: “The Role of Women in Promoting Peace and National Security, In A Challenged Society,” maintained that gender mainstreaming was critical to national stability.
Her words: “Gender mainstreaming and gender equality are essential factors in a country’s security and stability.
“The Higher the level of violence, against women, the more likely a country may be to not comply with international norms and treaty agreements and the less peaceful it will operate in the international system, Zaki emphasized.
She enjoined women to be part of the future processes that facilitate resolution of conflicts within their respective local communities to boost their capacities in peace-building and strengthen democratic governance.
The founder, Zaki Gems Support Foundation who called for sex education in Nigerian schools said such initiative would promote national development.
“Ensure inclusion of sex education and value reorientation in school curriculum” this she said should be followed up with laws that “ensure development and implementation of policy and sustainability of projects at all tiers of government before, during and after transition of Administration.”
Outgoing President of the National Council for Women Societies, Gloria Laraba Shoda said that in their effort to raise the bar for Nigerian women at national discourse the Council has explored various opportunities to enhance the statuses of the Nigerian woman.
She pointed out that engagement with public and private agencies have been useful to grow the lot of Nigerian women.
The election witnessed the emergence of Geraldine Etu, as the 1st Vice President of the (NCWS) as she polled 375 votes to defeat Ebi Austin, who scored 199 votes.
Udensi Ijeoma polled 255 votes to win against her opponents Ndubuisi Sharon and Ebele Okeke who got 250 and 18 votes respectively.
Zainab Ali Musa emerged 1st Public Relations Officer (PRO) while Theresa Omoke clinched the office of the National PRO with 308 votes to defeat Agnes Okafor who scored 205 votes.
The national election of the National Council for Women Societies had Deborah Dan Ishaya as National Treasurer as she got 338 votes.
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