The Oba of Lagos, His Royal Majesty Oba Rilwan Akiolu, has urged the federal and state governments to invest more in the education sector and give teachers special remuneration so they can deliver quality learning to Nigerian children.
Akiolu made the call on Friday when directors from the Federal Ministry of Education and principals of Unity Schools, who are in Lagos for their annual general meeting, visited his palace. He described teachers as the backbone of national development, noting that they shape the future through the children they mentor.
Sharing his personal experience, the monarch said he became who he is today because of the guidance he received from teachers after losing his parents in his early teens. He urged educators to carry out their duties with diligence and commitment.
On WAEC’s suspension of computer-based exams for Senior Secondary School students, Akiolu said Nigeria is not ready for such a transition because access to electricity and internet connectivity remains uneven. He stressed, however, that efforts must be made to ensure every child acquires computer knowledge.
He appealed to parents not to abandon their responsibilities to teachers, warning that the quest for money should not come at the expense of children’s upbringing.
Akiolu also advised education administrators to plan and save for retirement to avoid hardship later in life.
The leader of the delegation, Binta Abdulkadir, Director of Secondary Schools at the Federal Ministry of Education, thanked the monarch for his guidance and fatherly counsel.
EduTimes Africa, a product of Education Times Africa, is a magazine publication that aims to lend its support to close the yawning gap in Africa's educational development.
