Basic education, veritable tool against poverty, illiteracy, terrorism

A Professor of Educational Management at the Ekiti State University (EKSU), Ado-Ekiti, Dr Babatola Ayọdele,  has identified basic education as a veritable weapon against poverty, illiteracy and terrorism.

Ayodele called on Nigerian governments to make basic education compulsory and affordable to all Nigerians if it’s desirous in the fight against terrorism and social ills currently beleaguering the nation.

The University Don explained that with basic education, Nigerians would be conscious of evil inherent in kidnapping, terrorism and killings, while being knowledgeable enough to deploy their skills acquired to make themselves relevant economically, thereby reducing poverty in the system.

Ayodele said this in Ado-Ekiti over the weekend during the 62nd inaugural lecture of the institution, held at its main campus located along Iworoko road, Ado-Ekiti.

In the lecture entitled: “The Basis And The Basic  Education For Sustainable  Development in  Nigeria”, the Don appealed to stakeholders in the education sector, especially school administrators, to imbibe the culture of maintenance in various institutions of learning.

“Basic education is a tool to reduce and eradicate illiteracy, poverty and criminalities in Nigeria and means to guarantee the rights of the Nigerian child to education.

“The quest to making basic education accessible had enabled the  Federal Government of Nigeria to establish and reinforce d the 6-3-3-4 education policy 1986 with a view to rectifying what he called distortions in basic education delivery in Nigeria.

“Let me stress the needs for government at all levels to ensure equity in the distributions of educational resources to schools. This move would further curb the menace of poverty in the rural areas and the educationally disadvantaged communities”.

Emphasizing the role of basic education in Nigeria education system,  Ayodele submitted that teachers at the basic education level should be accorded the much-desired recognition and respect they deserve, urging the government to also expose them to continuous professional development programmes to enable them to improve their performances and consequently their productivity.