Osinbajo makes case for girl child education | EduCeleb
EduCeleb
17th May 2019
Vice President Yemi Osinbajo on Thursday said the Federal Government was committed improving access to education for the girl child.
Osinbajo stated this while delivering the 23rd Convocation Lecture of the Lagos State University, during the university’s award of higher degree and postgraduate diploma certificates.
The title of the lecture was “Africa Centres of Excellence in African Universities: a Veritable Catalyst for Nation Building and Development”.
He said that STEM curricula have been developed in several countries to enable the teaching of Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths subjects not individually and separately as before but together as a system of thought and ideas to design, or solve real life problems.
Osibanjo alluded that the Federal Government has crafted its policy known as STEAM by adding Arts to STEM research education.
He said, “We believe that training in humanities is fundamental to sound reasoning and judgment and we must also take on the challenge of training men and women for opportunities in the Arts and entertainment.”
“Classrooms and other learning centers must be remodeled. We will therefore be remodeling and reeuipping 10000 schools every year for the next ten years. There is no doubt that we would be leaning heavily for direction, support and ideas on the Lagos State University’s Centre of Excellence program. Since by providence STEM education research will be your focus.” he said
On the girl child education, he stated “An important issue is that of education of girls. With some studies today showing that girls are on the average smarter than boys any nation that does nor educate its girls does itself great harm. How do you solve your problems when you lock up your best minds?”
The Vice president admonished the graduands to be concerned about building the nation and recognize that every generation is uniquely equipped to deal with its own challenges. “Be suspicious of those who speak of the good old days they probably suffer from Amnesia, Your days are the best days.” he said.
He also noted that LASU Centre for Excellence selection by the World Bank makes it a regional hub for Innovative and Transformative STEAM Education in Africa.
Speaking earlier, a former Ghanian President, John Mahama, urged African universities to focus on science and technology.
Mahama who was the chairman of the convocation lecture stated that universities must provide visionary leadership, have academic autonomy saying political institutions must avoid interference with the running of academic institutions.
On how African universities can set the tone as African centres of excellence, the ex-president, however, said to achieve this they must be adequately funded.
He stated that African universities must collaborate with each other, adding that they should have multiple campuses for different specialisations in different countries.
Mahama said African universities could help bridge the gap created in African countries by focusing on science, technology and innovation which could be the catalysts for the development of Africa.
In his short speech at the event, the Governor of Lagos State and Visitor to LASU, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode, noted that every mark of development visible on the university’s campus was a function of effective leadership of the institution.
During his visit to LASU, Osinbajo commissioned the university’s new Senate building.