Kwara State Governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, emphasized the urgent need for promoting access to quality education for millions of children, especially those in need of it. He conveyed this message at an event held on the sidelines of the 2023 United Nations General Assembly in New York.
Governor AbdulRazaq highlighted that his administration in Kwara State has made significant investments in school infrastructure and the introduction of technology to enhance teaching methods, accountability, and effective learning. These efforts aim to empower children to have educational opportunities that are on par with their peers in other regions.
His statement underscores the importance of addressing educational disparities and ensuring that all children have access to quality education, regardless of their backgrounds or circumstances.
In a statement by his press Secretary, Rafiu Ajakaye, Abdulrazaq said, “What we have done has empowered teachers to adhere to curriculum standards, help the children to learn, reduce absenteeism, and raise school enrollment amid rising standards.”
Organized by Devex Event and New Globe, the theme of the event was ‘Addressing Africa’s learning crisis and preparing for a young future: Finding solutions.’
The governor spoke alongside president and co-founder of NewGlobe, Shannon May; executive director of Education Cannot Wait, an initiative of the United Nations, Yasmine Sherif; editorial director of Devex Richard Jones; senior fellow and deputy director of Centre for Universal Education, Brookings Institution, Jennifer O’donoghue; senior fellow at Stanford University Eric Hanushek; and executive director- Africa CAMFED Shungu Gwarinda; among many others.
The governor said a well-funded education sector also holds the key to improvements across many other sectors like health, water, rural-urban development, and food security, adding that data mined from schools can help governments to make informed decisions, plan, and deploy scarce resources.
“We have improved public school enrollment by some 48.7% at basic level, while the introduction of technology has really empowered our teachers and children alike,” AbdulRazaq added, although he said funding remains a big challenge.
Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq highlighted the positive impact of the KwaraLEARN program, stating that learning deprivation in Kwara public schools has reduced from 70.8% to 51.6% within a span of 40 weeks since the program’s introduction.
Yasmine, who commended the governor’s efforts in Kwara, emphasized the urgent need to jointly fund education and promote inclusion, emphasizing that this is “an urgency of now.” She noted that the United Nations is mobilizing at least $1.5 billion to provide quality education to approximately 120 million out-of-school children in distressed parts of the world.
Furthermore, Yasmine stated her intention to lead a team to Nigeria as part of a global campaign for the education rights of young children, with a particular focus on Kwara State.
She praised Governor AbdulRazaq’s vision for transforming public schools in Kwara State and encouraged other states and leaders in Africa to allocate resources and energy to similar educational initiatives. She commended the progress made in Kwara State and a few other Nigerian states, attributing these improvements to political will and data-driven strategies that prioritize inclusive education and positive learning outcomes for young people.
