Ondo to hold first education summit

AS part of the effort to reposition education in Ondo state, about 2,000 major stakeholders in the education sector will on Thursday 26th and Friday 27th of October 2017 converge on Akure,  the state capital, for the maiden edition of the Education Summit.

The state commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Mr Femi Agagu who disclosed this on Monday during a Press Conference in Akure, said the summit became imperative to identify the area of deficiency in the sector and to reposition the education sector in the state.

Agagu said the two-day event entitled: “Repositioning Education for functionality and Technology Growth,” will hold at the International Event Centre (Dome), and will draw participants from the academia, students, school principals, proprietors, traditional rulers and other stakeholders from the sector.

He said the goals of the summit is “to ensure functionality in education and technology growth and also to reposition education for better performance and optimal results.’’

“The summit is also to eliminate communication gap between the State government and education stakeholders in the state and to involve all and sundry in education policy formulation in the state among others.”

The commissioner said apart from the summit, the Rotimi Akeredolu led administration in the state has taken some pragmatic and pro-active measures that will take the sector to the next level in the years ahead.

He said “a cursory look at the state philosophy of education indicates that it is based on the development of individuals into sound and effective citizens and the provision of equal opportunities for all citizens of the state at the basic and tertiary levels, both within and outside the formal school system.

“This has brought the idea of organizing a virile Education Summit that would proffer solutions to the identified problems in the sector. “

Agagu, however, disclosed that seasoned educationalists had been invited to present papers that will address and identify issues that will be of immense benefits to the attainment of the goals of education in the state.

He said the stakeholders at the summit would discuss some topical issues which include functionality, early childhood care and development of education. Capacity development,  curriculum management and education quality assurance.

He disclosed that the Director of National Institute of Administration and Planning, Ondo, Prof Lilian Salami, would be the keynote speaker, while different sessions of the programme will be chaired by the wife of the governor, Mrs Betty Akeredolu, the Jegun of Ile Oluji,  Oba Julius Adetimehin, Bashorun Sehinde Arogbofa, Prof Olukoya Ogen among others.