The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has called on federal, state and local governments to make firm commitments to provide more resources and budget for inclusive opportunities for learning.
Executive secretary of the NHRC, Dr Anthony Ojukwumade the call on Wednesday at an event to commemorate the International Day of Education.
“There is a need for governments to make firm commitments to provide more resources and budget for inclusive opportunities for learning.
“Government should as a matter of urgency, place education as a priority in both policy and practice,” he said.
The International Day of Education is commemorated every Jan. 24 and the theme for this year’s celebration is “Learning For Lasting Peace”.
The United Nations General Assembly set aside the day in celebration of the role of education for peace and development.
Ojukwu also tasked stakeholders on the need to push for quality, equitable and inclusive education for all.
“Education is the key that facilitates the achievement of other Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
“When people are able to get quality education, they can break the cycle of poverty and there will be peace.
“Education helps to reduce inequalities and empowers people to live more healthy and sustainable live, education is also crucial to fostering tolerance between people as it contributes to peaceful societies,” he said.
He affirmed the need to deliver on sustainable development goals (SDG), Goal 4, (education financing) advising that it should become a national investment priority.
He further stated that measures such as making education free and compulsory, increasing the number of teachers is essential.
He added also improving basic school infrastructure and embracing digital transformation are essential towards achieving quality and accessible education.
“While progress has been made towards the Agenda 2030 education targets set by the United Nations, continued efforts are required to address persistent challenges to ensure that quality education is accessible to all, leaving no one behind.
“Economic constraints, coupled with issues of high learning dropout rates in marginalised areas, underscore the need for continued global commitment to ensuring inclusive and equitable education for al.”
“Low levels of information and communications technology (ICT) skills are also major barriers to achieving universal and meaningful quality education for all,” he said.
Ojukwu lamented that Sub-Saharan Africa faces the biggest challenges in providing schools with basic resources.
According to him, the situation is extreme at the primary and lower secondary levels, where less than half of schools in sub-Saharan Africa have access to drinking water, electricity, computers and the Internet.
He added that women and girls are the most disadvantaged in the enjoyment of rights to education.
“Studies have revealed that about 40 per cent of countries in Sub-Saharan Africa have not achieved gender parity in primary education.
“These disadvantages in education also translate into lack of access to skills and limited opportunities in the labour market for young women,” he stated.
