The Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has continued to receive global recognition and applause for his government’s sustained investment in education, with the Government of India commending the governor for his efforts at improving the quality of education and tackling learning poverty in the state.
The Indian Consul General, Mr. Chandramouli Kern, gave the commendation during a dinner/gala night organized as part of activities for the ongoing Edo Education Week, themed, “Education for Alaghodaro: Investing in quality education and access for our children and youths.”
Kern said Obaseki’s achievements across all sectors of the state’s economy, especially education, is fast repositioning the sub-national as the hub of development in Nigeria and Africa, urging the sustainability of the laudable reforms and projects.
He said, “You have achieved distinction worth emulating not just in Nigeria but in all emerging economies in the world.
“You and India are on the same line in the aspect of education. India achieved all it has in medicine, and technology, among others, becoming one of the top economies of the world through its education reforms just like Edo State.”
The Consul General added, “Recently, India has made more education policies which include the constitutional rights to give free and compulsory education to children till 14 years of age; new policy to make the curriculum more interesting and remove monotony from the learning process; put incentives at major milestones of achievements to discourage dropouts among others and all these were discussed at the panel session today for Edo State. I learned a lot more on how to go about them.”
Earlier, the keynote speaker and President, Trade Union Congress, Comrade Festus Osifo, stated that “the Governor’s reforms in the sector through the EdoBEST programme have set out to address the dearth of quality education in public schools and help bridge the divide between the rich whose children attend private schools and the poor whose children attend public schools.”
Present at the event were the Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki; his deputy, Rt. Hon. Comr. Philip Shaibu; the World Bank delegation team lead, Martin De Simone; Lebo Masile from South Africa; Representative of the Minister of Education and the Director of Basic Education, Federal Ministry of Education, Dr. Mrs. Olatunji Davis and representative of the Edo Chief Judge, Justice Orobosa Omotosho.
Others are Acting Vice Chancellor, Ambrose Alli University, Prof A.S Adagbonyi; Acting Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Ambrose Alli University, Prof Marshall Azeke; Acting Rector, Edo State Polytechnic, Usen, Engr S.O Omoruyi; Catholic Bishop of Auchi Diocese, Bishop Gabriel Dunia and Pst Itua Ighodalo, among others.
