By Alex Enebeli
The former Anambra Governor, Mr Peter Obi has blamed the social vices and insecurity in the country on lack of value for education.
Obi disclosed this during the maiden Education Summit organised by the National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools (NAPPS), Enugu State Chapter in collaboration with the Enugu State Ministry of Education on Tuesday in Enugu.
The event had as its theme “The Role of Education in Bringing the Change We Need in Social Values, Economy and Governance in Nigeria”.
“With education, we have a nation of entrepreneurs, but here, nobody is creating jobs and that is the crisis we are experiencing today because we do not have value for education.
“The implication is that the younger ones do not have anything to give back to the society but to shoot.
“If we want the country to work, we must invest in education and the society we abuse today, will take a revenge on us someday,” the former governor said.
The former Vice Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) regretted that in Nigeria, leadership failure had resulted in the poor education standard.
According to him, most countries of the world with recorded success in their economy was because they invested heavily on education.
“It is supposed to be free for all citizens but reverse is the case as the country has too many out of school youths.
“Nigeria is backward today because the leaders failed to invest in education,” Obi said.
In a message to the event, the Catholic Bishop of Nsukka Diocese, Godfrey Onah, noted that educational system failed to achieve its set goals because the leaders were not paying attention to it.
Onah, represented by Rev. Fr. Emeka Asogwa, stressed that quality education was achievable if there was quality teachers and conducive environment for learning.
He added that some families did not have access to private schools due to fees involved, leaving private schools for the rich.
Earlier, the Chairman NAPPS, Enugu State, Mr Earnest Ugwu said the summit was aimed at improving and sustaining qualitative education in the state and Nigeria in general.
According to him, the gathering is to agitate various minds for value reorientation which must be tackled voraciously starting from private schools in the state.
“In the past, one can comfortably discipline an erring child even on the way, teachers were role models to many and parents frown at exam malpractices but today, nobody cares,” he said.
Ugwu said the summit would expose school leaders to the invited speakers who were carefully selected to speak at the event; who were education transformers and had shown exemplary leadership in education sector.
He urged the state government to support private schools in the state to enable them provide quality education to students.
(NAN)
