Governments at all levels have been charged to commit more investment to the education sector by allocating more resources to underserved regions to accommodate the growing number of children aspiring to attend school.
The Orangun of Oke-Ila in Osun state, Oba Adedokun Abolarin, gave this charge during the 14th convocation lecture of Achivers University, Owo, Ondo state, with the theme :”Modelling quality Education for the Reach of the Vulnerable”
The monarch urged governments to also pay more attention to focused services to vulnerable populations and improve infrastructure and teacher quality to bridge the educational divide for vulnerable populations.
According to him, formal and informal system of education should be integrated into formal education system to increase enrollment in all parts of country in order to achieve equitable and quality education for the most vulnerable populations.
He said “community engagement is key to success as engagement of local leaders and communities would address cultural barriers, such as child marriage, that hinder education in some regions.
“It is imperative to leverage on technology extensively. Leveraging technology implies extensive use if technology to provide remote learning opportunities in regions with limited access to schools”
The monarch identified myriads of economic burdens, wars, inadequate human and material resources responsible for the increasing burden of vulnerable populations and achievement of the SDG4.
He however, stated that universities play a transformative role in advancing quality education, particularly for vulnerable populations and said “as hubs of knowledge creation, innovation, human capital development, these institutions are uniquely positioned to address educational inequities through research, capacity building and community engagement.
“Nigeria, as Africa’s largest economy, has the potential to serve as a model for addressing education vulnerabilities, but it must prioritize investments in infrastructure, teacher training, and inclusive education policies.
“A unified effort involving governments, educational institutions, especially Universities, international organizations, private sector actors, and local communities is essential to achieving quality education.
“By addressing systemic barriers and leveraging innovative approaches, the global vision of equitable and quality education can be realised for even the most vulnerable populations.
“Universities, importantly, have a moral and pragmatic responsibility to bridge the educational divide for vulnerable populations.
“Through research, partnerships, capacity building, and advocacy, they can drive systemic change, ensuring that education becomes not just a privilege but a universal right.”
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