Opinion 14
Daily Times Nigeria Wednesday, May 16, 2018
Child rights in 21st century education system (I)
I Wahab Shittu
feel really humbled and highly honored by the invitation extended to me to deliver this lecture. When I first got hint of this invitation, my initial reaction was one of fear of disappointing the organizers, not because that would ordinarily be my intention but significantly because of my schedule prosecuting corruption cases all over the country combined with my responsibilities at the University of Lagos. I was afraid today’s very important event may clash with such hectic schedule. I am glad that did not happen because I owe a huge debt of gratitude to the St Bernadette Educational Service and Doregos Private Academy for molding all my children. I recall that Doregos nurtured my first son Yusuf Shittu who is now a medical doctor, my second son Rilwan Shittu also passed through the Doregos system from nursery school up until Secondary School level and today he is a Legal Practitioner, My third child, Rafiat Shittu was also here as a student and currently a Third Year Law student at the University of Lagos. Of course, the baby of the house Imran Shittu who is perhaps sitting somewhere in the crowd is still very much part of the Doregos system as a SS1 student. I can therefore say that I live, think, breathe and eat Doregos and I can proudly say that this is my second home and my natural family. Given this background, it would have been unpardonable not to be present here today, for whatever reason. Thank you once again
for this privileged invitation. I am being called upon to examine the topic “Understanding the Rights of a Child in the 21st Century Education System”, incidentally on the occasion of the 21st Speech Making & Prize Giving Day of this great institution. I am mindful of the significance of the magical 21st both in the topic assigned to me and the coincidence of this occasion. INTRODUCTION Childhood is a time for education, recreation, growth and discovery. All children and young people, regardless of their circumstances and background, must have the opportunity to participate and engage in a world class education system and emerge equipped with the knowledge and skills they need for the future. Education is a right to which all human beings are entitled. It is both a human right in itself and an indispensable means of realizing other human rights.It plays a very important role in achieving just societies because education caan develop a child’s sense of self, sense of community, and sense of citizenship. EDUCATION IN THE 21ST CENTURY The 21st Century essentially is a period that has generally been characterized by a lot of advancement in thinking, methods, science and technology. This century has witnessed more growth than earlier imagined, with the potential for even more. Over the course of this period, the education sector, particularly primary and secondary education has been
under the spotlight.In 2000, the United Nations began promoting the Millennium Development Goal to achieve free universal primary education for all, regardless of gender, by 2015. The MDGS were later replaced by the Sustainable Development Goals with Goal 4 focused solely on Quality Education. Amidst all of this, the rights of a child in a 21st Century Education System still remains a very critical aspect of education in this period. From an analysis of surveys and research conducted by experts in the education sector, the consensus has generally been that in this 21st Century, from the earliest learners to adolescents, students across age groups are missing out on critical learning opportunities. These opportunities are those that help develop a range of skills, essential to tackle the challenges of our dynamic, rapidly growing world and transform students into mindful, empathetic, critical-thinking, creative, and collaborative beings. Successfully nurturing the students of the 21st century is the call of accountability & it’s preparation starts with creating a positive school culture with a safe and caring environment with values and empathy for people and environment, embedded in the entire length and breadth of the school climate as well as high student motivation and engagement, a professional faculty culture, and partnerships with families and the community.
Prophetic milestones and 2019 polls
I Gbemiga Olakunle
n the countdown to the 2019 General Elections, in the course of His rescue mission and a bid to prevent unprecedented political upheavals in the country, God in His infinite mercies may decide to arrest and throw some political juggernauts troubling the peace and progress of this country into His political dungeon and allow them to die politically. And those who may manage to come of out this divine judgment will eventually become social and political outcasts and lepers whom no one will dare to associate with. Also, the recalcitrant among these troublers of Israel (Nigerian) who may still fail to decipher and read correctly God’s warning or handwriting of judgment upon their lives may found themselves condemned to God’s underground cells. They will become dead lions while lesser animals who may decide to do God’s bids and obey His voice will be divinely empowered by God to continue with the affairs of the kingdom. And the Holy Scripture which can never be broken has rightly declared that a living dog is better than a dead lion . Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu is no doubt a political strategist and one of the heroes that God used to send the immediate Administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan packing. And to do that, he had to settle his known political scores with the former President Olusegun Obasanjo. Both of them put their political differences behind them and joined forces
together in order to ensure the success of the Presidential flag bearer of the then Opposition-All Progressives Congress (APC). And the main beneficiary of that alliance is the present President Muhammed Buhari. To demonstrate his displeasure at the performance of his party’s candidate -Dr. Goodluck Jonathan as the President of Federal Republic of Nigeria, Chief Dr. Olusegun Obasanjo publicly tore his the party’s membership card – a sign that prophetically triggered a chain of reactions leading to the defeat of the then Ruling Party – PDP (Peoples Democratic Party) at the 2015 General Elections. Before that public denunciation of the PDP by the former President Olusegun Obasanjo, it was a known fact that he wrote not less than 3 open letters to the then President Goodluck Jonathan. And instead of listening to the voice of wisdom from his known benefactor (President Olusegun Obasanjo) whom GOD used to raise him as the then Governor of Bayelsa State to become Vice – Presidential candidate to the late President Umar Yar’Adua, which eventually won the polls, Jonathan decided to choose another political godfather/ benefactor for himself in person of his kinsmen – Chief Edwin Clarke. And he did this to his eventual downfall and the downfall of his party – the PDP. It should be recalled that it was these noticeable crack in the PDP leadership that the likes of Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the leaders of the then opposition party (including its presidential flag bearer – General Muhammed
Buhari) saw that enabled them to take due advantage and made the former President’s home in Abeokuta to become a political Mecca to politicians who were seeking for President Obasanjo’s endorsements. The National Leader of APC, Asiwaju Tinubu cannot deny the fact that it was this AOPBJ (Any Other Person but Jonathan) project that made him to team – up with President Obasanjo to form the arrow – head that forced Jonathan’s government packing out of the Presidential Villa. And now that the mentor of big masquerade has came out again to say that the oracle is no longer satisfied with the performance or the dance – steps of his much published masquerade for certain obvious reasons which certain sections of the audience have confirmed, it will be wise and in the best interest of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and the chieftains of his party to look into the areas of concern with a way to make amends instead of brushing such matters aside or trivalise them in the name of politics. To be candid, it is uncharitable of the former Governor of Lagos State to say that President Obasanjo was just playing to the gallery or playing politics with his recent letter to the President and Commander- In – Chief of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, His Excellency Muhammed Buhari. Who told Tinubu that the issues raised in the open letter have not been privately discussed with the President? Is it not in the public domain that the Nigerian Electorate and indeed some opinion molders/leaders of thought have been crying out against the
nepotic tendencies of this present Administration? And coupled with that, is the government’s inability to check the excesses of the Fulani herdsmen which have gradually become a national phenomenon and eventually earned the tag of Number 3 terrorist organization in the world. And instead of addressing these areas that are attracting public displeasure to the government, the concerned authorities seem not to pay due attention to the raised issues. In our own opinion, these are the issues – nepotism, suspected condonement of Fulani herdsmen menace, and other pertinent issues raised in President Obasanjo’s open letter that should be the concern of the APC leaders with a view to address them and allay public fears instead of trying to rubbish the contents of the letter. In this regard, therefore, our opinion is that Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu should be more circumspect in his reactions to the former President Obasanjo’s pronouncements on the performances of the current Administration. Tinubu cannot claim to know President Muhammed Buhari more than this former boss. Who knows Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and his core of legacy party – the Action Congress(AC) may in future need the support and alliance of Obasanjo’s new movement – Coalition for Nigeria Movement when the chips are down and when they may be looking for political relevance ? “Ojo ma npa eeyan wo ile kan na ni eemeji o”. We hope the Asiwaju will get the import of this Yoruba adage.