Christopher Odamah
The former Delta State Commissioner for Education, Dr. (Mrs.) Veronica E. Ogbuagu has called on the federal, state governments to invest in education and teacher training as a key to a better society.
At the weekend in her welcoming address to mark the 56th Independence Day Anniversary held at the Chinkelly Multi-Purpose Hall, also called the Bishop Fitzgbbon’s Hall, the Proprietress of the school said education is the people’s only defense against leaders that would do them harm.
Dr. Ogbuagu said education is the most vital sector in any nation that no nation can make any progress without education. A nation without proper and qualitative education is a nation in danger and in decay, saying the education system in Nigeria has faced a lot of challenges and operational bias. A lot has to be done to revamp the education sector.
While calling on teacher training and retraining as a well made investment, she said, if our education is to achieve the national Policy on education, a well trained, qualified, efficient, satisfied and dedicated crop of teachers is absolutely essential because teachers hold the key to positive change in any society, they are the greatest agents of change for being the molders of character and shapers of attitudes, skills and competencies.
According to her, examination malpractice has been a feature of Nigerian institutions of learning since the late seventies which is the father of all social ills in the country today which has robbed the nation of almost everything that is of value, particularly its conscience. They fight against examination malpractice and it must be give a national stamp of urgency.
Dr. Ogbuagu reiterated that government has been the greatest enemy of educational development in Nigeria, adding that the educational industry is no longer interesting.
Dr. Ogbuagu calls for a new Nigeria where teachers are well trained, paid and motivated.
