The Lagos State governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo- Olu, has reaffirmed the state government’s determination to provide quality and quantitative education to people of the state.
He made the assurance on Tuesday at the opening session of the ongoing 10th annual conference of the Association of Private School Educators in Nigeria (APEN) holding at the Lagos Business School, Lekki.
No fewer than 300 delegates, comprising school owners, teachers, other school workers, education consultants, and government officials attended the event, which has “Global classroom 2030: Vehicle to attitudes, knowledge, skills, and values,” as the theme. There is also an exhibition by various schools and free medical check-ups and students’ performances at the event.
ALSO READ: MTN celebrates community heroes in Lagos, Abuja & Port Harcourt
Speaking further, Governor Babatunde, who was represented at the event by the director-general of the Office of Education Quality Assurance, Lagos State, Mrs Adeola Seriki- Ayeni, said it was only through quality education and provision of quality manpower that real economic growth and development could take place not only in Lagos State but across the federation.
He noted that to this end, his administration had identified three major areas to invest hugely on and take as a priority in order to move the sector at all levels to a greater height.
These three major areas, according to him, are to upgrade the teaching profession to promote knowledge transfer, to review curriculum to cater to both current and future manpower needs and to upgrade school infrastructures.
While urging private school operators to continue to contribute meaningfully to the development of education in the state, he, however, promised that the government would not renege in providing an enabling environment for both public and private schools across the state.
Earlier in her welcome address, the President of APEN and Managing Director of Oxbridge Tutorial College, Lagos, Dr Olufemi Ogunsanya, said the essence of this year’s conference was for private school owners and workers to equip themselves well with right knowledge and skills that would make them remain relevant globally in and beyond 10 years to come.
ALSO READ: Makinde grants approval for recruitment of teachers
According to her, the classroom of 2030 must go beyond the simple acquisition of knowledge but be able to provide deeper insight to specialised ways of understanding the world generally and be able to provide effective solutions to societal problems.
She, therefore, urged private school operators to work together and produce students that would succeed globally.
On her part, the Chief Executive Officer of Edunark, an education consulting outfit, Mrs Yinka Ogunde, said the conference was really an eye-opener to many stakeholders in the sector.
and then