JANUARY 2, 2020: EDUCATION SUMMIT: MBAISE POLICY ROUNDTABLE TACKLES ‘QUALITY EDUCATION AND SUSTAINABLE RURAL DEVELOPMENT IN IMO STATE – THE MBAISE PERSPECTIVE ‘.
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At the maiden Education Summit of the Mbaise Policy Roundtable (MPR), held at the Chris VI Hotel at Ahiara Junction, Mbaise, Imo State, on January 2, 2020, Mbaise intelligentsias, from across the globe, converged to deliberate on the state of Education in Mbaise, Imo State and indeed Nigeria. The theme of the summit was “Quality Education and Sustainable Rural Development in Imo State,: The Mbaise Perspective”. The role of Mbaise, the intellectual capital of Imo State, was discussed in proffering strategies to achieving the UN Strategic Development Goal for education, which is to “ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promoting lifelong learning opportunities for all.
Key presenters were, Governor Emeka Ihedioha, very ably represented by Hon Chief Paschal Egwin (Kpakpando); Imo State Commissioner for Education Professor Viola Onwuliri; former Vice Chancellor UNIZIK Professor Joe Ahaneku, the Rector Imo State Polytechnic Umuagwo Professor Paddy Njoku, Hon Chief Joe Ehioma, MPR Chairman Professor Eddie Oparaoji, MPR Adviser and former Deputy Vice Chancellor, University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN) Professor Poly Chigbu, the Director/Dean UNN Business School Professor J.U.J Onwumere, MPR Chief Programs Director Dr. Jude Iheoma, MPR Chief Policy Officer Mr. Chijike Ndukwu, Professor Jeff Ohanaja, and former Registrar UNN and MPR Director for Government-Legislative Program Barr. Placid Dioka.
Some MPR program directors and administrators graced the event. They include Atty Paschal Ukpabi (Executive Secretary/Legal Adviser), Dr Keyna Omenukor (Director, Health), Chief Austin Onwubiko (Director, Education), Prince Ibe Obolobo (Director, Culture & Entertainment), Mr PeterClever Nwaiwu (Director, Power &Utilities), Dr. Collins Ugochukwu (Director, Environmental), Mr Amby Uneze (Director, Media), Dr Victor Ukpabi (Director, Conferences & Professional development) and Mr Rowland Obom (MPR Administrator & Assistant Secretary).
Also in attendance were some Sponsors and MPR members namely, Mr Desmond Obani, Sir Nick Nwuda, Dr. Onyema Nkwocha, Dr (Mrs) Esochi Iheoma, Dr (Mrs) Nwamaka Oparaoji, Dr. A.C. Odunze, Prof Julian Osuji, ret. Permanent Secretary Nze Chukwuma Nwachukwu, Longinus Obasi, Dr. Chinemerem Dan Onwuliri, Dr. Patrick Njoku, Senior Apostle Francis Ajeroh-Mbaise, Chief Bona Ogu, Amb. AJ Stailes, Mr Okechukwu Ikonne, Hon Uche Chris Agomuo, Mr Emeka Ugwu, Mr. Beluso Enwere and many others.
The Summit platform provided a unique opportunity, for MPR to exhaustively congratulate His Excellency, Governor Emeka Ihedioha, on his resounding electoral Victory! After due deliberation, some critical observations were made as follows:
PREAMBLE:
WHEREAS, Mbaise is the intellectual capital of Imo State.
WHEREAS, the MBAISE POLICY ROUNDTABLE is the intellectual powerhouse of Mbaise.
WHEREAS, the education sector in Mbaise, like in most parts of the State, is in ruins, pathetic, and in a state of total disrepair, both functionally and physically. The schools are dilapidated, the teachers poorly trained, compensated, equipped, and have been abused.
WHEREAS, it appears there is a deliberate policy by external forces, to cripple our education system – an industry that has brought our people thus far.
WHEREAS, girl-child education and women empowerment in Mbaise and indeed Imo State, remain in need of special attention.
WHEREAS, it could be argued that significant progress has been made across the globe; it is also a fact that in sub-Saharan Africa, large disparities still remain. Children from the poorest households are four times more likely to be out of school, than those of the richest households. Again, the UN has noted that disparities between rural and urban areas also remain high, especially in Nigeria. Thus, achieving inclusive and quality education for all, reaffirms the belief that education is one of the most powerful and proven vehicles for sustainable rural development.
WHEREAS, sustainable rural development, not just in Mbaise or Imo state, but also in many third world societies, is contingent on quality education.
WHEREAS, University education is not for everyone, our education system has failed our students by not offering skills acquisition, as integral part of early curriculum, required for solving societal economic demands, thus making them unproductive members of society with unemployable academic degrees.
WHEREAS, education is the mirror of the society. It is the seed, as well as the flower that blossoms and defines the socio-economic development of any society. Education transforms human beings from ignorance to enlightenment, from shades of social backwardness to light of social amelioration; and a nation from under-development to faster socio-economic development.
WHEREAS, the General Conference of UNESCO in 1964, admitted that illiteracy is a grave obstacle to social and economic development. In truth, education is the true alchemy or algorithm that can bring our people to the next golden age.
WHEREAS, the embarrassing infrastructural deficit, lack of security and functioning library in our education system, or school premises, in Mbaise, have devolved into a crisis, and the challenges posed by these socio-economic and political issues, have made it difficult for Mbaise to harness its human capital and material resources, for sustainable rural development. These have also hampered our efforts, towards becoming a leading player in Imo State.
WHEREAS, an Mbaise Development Strategic Master Plan, addressing the education sector priorities for Mbaise among others, has been published.
WHEREAS, the Governor, Emeka Ihedioha, has declared his vision and mission, to make Imo State one of the three most developed states in Nigeria, by 2025, as well as Africa’s top ten economies by 2030 and reduce teacher:student ratio from 1:60 to 1:40.
WHEREAS, Governor Emeka Ihedioha, has declared as priority, rebuilding technical and vocational education, to re-ignite job creation and industrial growth.
WHEREAS, Mbaise and indeed Imo State, subscribe to the UN Sustainable Development Goals, which includes number 4, on education, of ensuring inclusive and equitable quality education and promoting lifelong learning opportunities for all.
WHEREAS, this summit is unanimously heralded as the first of its kind, in the history of Mbaise.
The Education Summit hereby resolved to:
1. Propose, a Restructure of our school curriculum, to integrate and inter-weave skills acquisition, in order to develop vastly economically-viable certificate holders, either through self, private or public sector employments; to Retrain graduates in skills; and to “certify” them, before they get into any field, while including Financial and Investment management and savings education in the skills acquisition program.
2. Propose location of An ICT University, A Tertiary Health institution, a special Polytechnic, for Specialized Knowledge, Skills acquisition, and a branch of the State’s library, in Mbaise!
3. Partner with the government to provide mentorship, counseling and coaching, as well as engage the youths in advocacy, leadership training, community service programs, and to foster the right values and attitudes among our youths.
4. Urge Mbaise communities to partner with government to improve schools in their communities – A typical example being the commissioning of a 6-classroom block, built by the Oboama (Ezinihitte) Development Union, USA, by the Hon Commissioner for Education, Prof. Viola Onwuliri, along with an agreement to send the school a computer teacher, as requested.
5. Strongly commend His Excellency, Governor Emeka Ihedioha, for his bold vision and commitment to revamp the educational system in Imo State, and for appointing the most qualified and committed technocrat in that arena, Prof. Viola Onwuliri, to lead the Education Ministry.
6.Strongly endorse the various reforms instituted by Governor Ihedioha and his administration, especially in the education sector, including curbing corruption, by establishing a “hotline” phone number for the ministry of Education (09072002947), as well as enhancing the quality of school administrators and teachers, by instituting examinations for school principals and vice-principals, and training of teachers in their subjects areas to achieve quality education, – through special programs like EDUSERV; the suspension of registration of new private schools, until the existing ones are developed to recommended standards; setting standards for technical schools to match any of such schools in the world, and the wonderful policy of Igbo language made compulsory in Imo Schools.
7. Welcome and applaud other accomplishments of the Ihedioha administration as shared with the summit by the Government, including the Treasury Single Account, and the increase of internally-Generated Revenue, from N200m in June, to over N1Billion in December of 2019; the ongoing construction of 385km of rural roads, with the help of the World Bank; the government link with International Development Bank, to help in infrastructural development; establishing 5 new technical Colleges in Imo State; the “Imo Rice” project, signifying agriculture as a value chain; designing one of the best Annual Budgets in the country; the development of ICT Industrial hubs, and establishing small scale industries in the State.
8. Appoint Professor Joe Ahaneku, former Vice Chancellor, as per recommendation, to lead a committee to drive MPR ideas and initiatives with government.
9. Develop a central database of our Mbaise/Imo professionals, from where the government can pick professionals to work with, when the need arises.
10. Advocate for instituting an Education Trust Fund.
Thank you!
Signed
Professor Eddie Oparaoji (Chairman)
Dr. Jude Iheoma (Chief Program Director)
Atty Paschal Ukpabi (Executive Secretary/Legal Adviser)
Chief Austin Onwubiko
(Director, Education Program Sector)
MPR 