The Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has called for increased global advocacy to address learning poverty in developing countries, noting that such a move would help accelerate development and even out inequalities that impede growth.
The governor said this in commemoration of the International Day of Education marked by the United Nations and its sister agencies.
Governor Obaseki, who noted that the impact of the state’s home-grown Edo State Basic Education Sector Transformation (EdoBEST) programme is changing the future prospects of youths, added that tackling learning poverty must be a necessary imperative for global leaders.
According to him, “As we celebrate the International Day of Education, it is important to highlight the importance of education in changing the fortune of nations, building empires and driving generational wealth. Education does not only liberate the mind; it creates a new world of opportunities. This is what we have re-enacted in Edo with our reforms through the EdoBEST programme.
“Under the programme, our children are now becoming the best versions of themselves. They are confident, bold and think independently. We achieved this because we focused on and addressed learning poverty.
“This is why we are taking this approach to others. We have states like Bayelsa, Lagos and many more and even other African countries come here to learn from our best practices. It is pertinent to push for the reforms to tackle learning poverty in developing countries because this will address inequalities and other challenges stalling progress.”
The governor called on world leaders to explore even more pragmatic policy designs and funding opportunities to accelerate the drive to address learning poverty as the world moves to an era dominated by Artificial Intelligence driven by the Fourth Industrial revolution.
In his message to mark the day, the Secretary General of the United Nations, António Guterres, said: “Let’s deliver education systems that can support equal societies, dynamic economies and the limitless dreams of every learner in the world.”
