THE Minister of State for Education, Dr. Suwaiba Said Ahmad, has reaffirmed the government’s commitment to revitalizing the education sector as part of efforts to transform the country for greatness.
Speaking today at the opening ceremony of the 7th Education for Sustainable Development Conference organized by the Bayero University’s Centre for Gender Studies at the Convocation Arena, the Minister emphasized the crucial role education plays in national growth and development, and reassured Nigerians that the renewed hope agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is genuine and not just a political gimmick.
The Minister’s speech has rekindled hope among Nigerians that the government is committed to transforming the education sector and improving the lives of citizens.
Dr Suwaiba explained that the federal government’s commitment to revitalizing tertiary institutions aimed at not only to serve as centers of learning but as well as hubs of innovation and change. “Education goes beyond acquiring knowledge; it is about shaping minds to create a sustainable future.”
The ESD Program at CGS she said, had amplifies government’s commitment to this vision. She noted that by integrating sustainability into educational curricula, “we are preparing our students to tackle the pressing challenges of our time, including climate change, poverty, and inequality among others”.
The minister disclosed that Youth are central to this administration. Aligned with President Bola Ahmad Tinubu’s renewed hope agenda, government therefore welcome and prioritize such initiatives.
“As the Minister of state for Education, I am committed to supporting the ESD Program and ensuring that our educational institutions are not just centers of learning but also hubs of innovation and change. This means investing in infrastructure, providing quality teaching materials, and fostering an environment where students can thrive,” she assured.
Earlier, the Vice Chancellor Professor Sagir Adamu Abbas in a welcome address he commended the centre for organising the conference describing it as timely and apt.
He said university has established the centre as part of the deliberate effort to promote societal growth and development and thank them for keeping to the mission and vision. Professor Abbas said the Management is always ready to support the activities of the Centre.
Also speaking, the Chairman of the occasion, Professor Salisu Shehu who is the Executive Secretary of Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council said poor leadership is the bane of the country’s development. He charged leaders to be honest and transparent in all their undertakings
In his address, the Chairman of BUK Governing Council, De Nasiru Yusuf Gawuna reaffirmed the need for leaders to ensure probity and accountability. He said Nigeria is a blessed country with potentiality to prosper if its resources could be judiciously utilized.
Earlier, the Director of the Centre for Gender Studies Ambassador Dr Safiya Nuhu Ahmed revealed that since 2017, Bayero University Kano has been organizing the Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) program, in collaboration with various stakeholders and partners. The ESD program has empowered more than 270 students from more than 20 tertiary institutions.
She said the program’s vision is to equip students with knowledge and skills around the SDGs, to advance the actualization of sustainable development. ESD Ambassadors thus become the bridges through which sustainable development prospects could be achieved.
Commendably, BUK has been the pioneer University in Nigeria to train students annually on ‘ESD’, and to institute a mentorship program for the ambassadors’ progressive growth.
“The project essentially targets reducing inequalities between sexes, and age groups by giving skills that equip youth to feel powerful and confident to execute project that alleviate poverty, enhance food security and lead to sustained growth and development.” she declared.
Dr Safiya also hinted that the Project centers the participants’ activities within their environment, which is increasingly threatened by climate change, and integrates climate response into students learning and experience base (SDGs 1,2,10,13 and 17).
The project integrates innovative techniques in grooming youth to understand the opportunities presented under the SDGs, and work towards eradicating poverty, ensuring food security and integrating women’s concerns in every development space.
It presumes that if youth are trained to be passionate about the wide range of SDGs including SDG 5, gender mainstreaming will be a natural part of their decisions and policies, thus doing away with the need to lobby policy makers and leaders on integrate women’s issues and concerns and give them spaces to have a role in governance, development and other spheres.