As Confluence International Academy marks 13th Graduation Ceremony in Lokoja.
A university Don, Professor Agbo Madaki has advocated for stiffer penalties for officials in the education sector who are found to have corruptly mismanaged the resources under their jurisdiction.
Professor Madaki made the call on Thursday at the 13th Graduation Ceremony of Confluence International Academy, Gadumo , Lokoja , kogi state capital.
He said , corruption in the education sector should be made a serious offence which could attract high sentences of imprisonment and or life imprisonment to serve as a deterrent and to check high corruption in the sector .
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He noted that the present educational policy should be given priority by government in terms of effective implementation, stressing that without implementation, no matter how good is the policy, it would remain worthless.
He advised the government at all levels to ensure that the rights of the child to early education is sacrosanct and to be committed to enforce it when violated.
He said , the present education policy which is predicated on the 6-3-3-4 has officially made the primary and junior secondary school free and compulsory, but lamented at the worrisome trend in the rise of out of school children especially in the North East and North West of the country.
While painting a gloomy picture of the Nation’s education, he disclosed that about 10.5million children of school age of between ages 5-14 are not in school, while only 61percent of 6-11 years old regularly attend primary schools even as 36-59 months of age receive childhood education.
He said the gloomy picture is worse in the North with a net attendance rate of 53 percent, as girl child attendance rate of 47.7 percent in the North East and 47.3 percent in North West , indicate that more than half of the girl child in these regions are out of school.
He hinted that it will take concerted efforts by the government and all the stakeholders by improving economic opportunities of the citizens and to discourage social, cultural norms and practices that inhibit attendance of formal education in the zone.
He tasked government at all levels and security agencies to improve security of lives and property across the country, saying, schooling being affected in banditry, insurgence and herders and farmers clashes controlled states of the country.
While urging the Government to direct it’s policies towards ensuring that there are equal and adequate educational opportunities for Nigeria Child at level so as to eradicate illiteracy and poverty
He further stressed that, universal primary education, secondary education and adult literacy programmes should be made free and compulsory to return out of school children back to schools.
He explained that there are enough laws, policies and Conventions that guaranteed free and compulsory education for Nigeria Child , unfortunately government and parents have not been active in their responsibilities.
Meanwhile, the principal of the Confluence International Academy, Adedayo Adejumo, commended the school for the outstanding performance in moulding future leaders who are worthy in learning and character in the past thirteen years.
He said, the mission of the school is clear in providing conducive learning environment in which every child passing through the institution will have the opportunity to make use of his mind for sound decisions in all areas of human endeavours.
He disclosed that the academic excellence of the college was on display recently when it emerged overall winner of kogi state Spelling Bee competition organised by the first lady of kogi state even as it made appearance at the final of the Fidelity Bank Read to Lead Nationwide Essay competition.
He said , these feats wouldn’t have been made possible without the adherence to academic discipline brought by the competent, and dedicated, Management, teachers and students.
The principal while thanking the parents for their sacrifices to see to the academic progress of their children and wards , acknowledged , kogi state government for providing enable environment for private institutions to flourish in the state.
