Speaker, House of Representatives, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, on Friday in Lagos said there is a need for Nigeria to build a resilient education system to guarantee uninterrupted learning process, even in difficult times.
Gbajabiamila gave this position, while speaking at the launch of “Back to School Jump Start Project,” a project, which was a collaboration between the Office of the Speaker and the National Lottery Trust Fund (NLTF) to digitise teaching and learning in schools.
Gbajabiamila, who represented by Hon. Ademorin Kuye, noted that the COVID- 19 pandemic and the attendant lockdown in 2020 impacted education negatively as many students were shut out of school during the lockdown as they could not access learning owing to poor digital infrastructure in schools, said the Jump-Start Project, aimed at digitising the teaching and learning process and inculcate a culture of basic hygiene in schools across the country.
The speaker said reason for tagging the first leg of the Jump-Start project as “No School Left Behind in Surulere” was to address the widening of the educational disadvantage heightened by the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The reason for tagging the first leg of the Jump-Start project as “No School Left Behind in Surulere” is to address the widening of the educational disadvantage heightened by the COVID-19 pandemic.
“While the health implications of the pandemic are all too obvious, its consequences for education are subtle, but nonetheless, devastating.
“For students in Nigerian public schools, the lockdown in 2020 was a huge setback.
“Thus, the Jump Start Project is designed to mitigate the disadvantages caused by the lack of digital infrastructure in public schools, as well as ensure that there are no breaks in teaching and learning in the event of future pandemics,” he said.
Gbajabiamila described education as the best possible investment in people, adding: “It is the silver bullet that lifts people out of poverty, encourages a broader perspective that expands their worldview.”
The speaker said the National Assembly was resolved to build back a better and stronger education system that was resistant to the eventualities of what he described as the “new normal.”
Gbajabiamila, while saying he was also committed to improving the lives and livelihoods of his constituents through education, commended the National Lottery Trust Fund and the Social Impact Healthcare and Education Foundation (SHE) for partnering with his office on the project.
According to him, the first phase of the project would see 46 junior and senior schools in Surulere 1 Federal Constituency receiving E-learning equipment such as laptops, android tablets, phones, stationery and sanitation materials, even as he expressed his appreciation to the people of Surulere for their consistent support, assuring them that he would continue to redeem his electoral promise to deliver democratic dividends in the area
Minister of Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Affairs, Dr. George Akume, in his speech, thanked the National Lottery Trust Fund and Hon Gbajabiamila for coming up with the project.
Akume, who was represented by Dr Bello Maigari, the Executive Secretary NLTF, said the project was in line with the Federal Government’s commitment to boost the learning capacity of students through the use of technology.
“Today’s event underscores the commitment and determination and promise of President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration to improve the capacity of students to learn and excel in their studies,” he said.
The minister said that government would continue everything necessary to improve the standard of education in the country, just as warned all lottery licenses to settle their liabilities with the Fund or risk the revocation of their licences.
In his own remarks, Maigari commended Gbajabiamila for partnering with the NLTF on the project.
Maigari, whose speech was read by Mr Sule Tegina, said the project would boost the capacity of schools in the area of digital teaching, learning and sanitation in tandem with global practice.
He said the mandate of the Fund was to take custody of 20 per cent of national lottery and gaming operations to execute development projects.
Benefitting schools, including Ajipega Junior Secondary School, Adebola Baptist Secondary School, Akiitan Secondary School, Murital Ajadi Secondary School, among others were later presented with e-learning devices, sanitation materials as well as a cheque of N100,000 each at the programme.
Officials of the National Lottery Trust Fund later proceeded to Gbaja Maternal and Child Care Centre in Surulere where they presented some medical equipment to the facility in conjunction with the Office of the Speaker.
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