By Ighomuaye Lucky. O
The Chief Academic Officer, Maarifa Education Holding and Chairman, University Council, Cavendish University, Uganda, Prof. Olubayi Olubayi, has called on Africa leaders to set up special schools for the gifted and talented children in every part of the African countries if the continent must compete favourably well with students in other parts of the world.
He made the call while delivering his keynote address at the Goodluck Jonathan Foundation Democracy Dialogue with the theme “Functional education and effective political leadership as a panacea to Africa’s growth and development” held in Benin City.
Prof. Olubayi said if the African continent must also make progress, it must not wait for the whites to tell them what to do but should learn to do what they do adding that, such can only happen if the African leaders can take the educational wellbeing of its citizens seriously.
Olubayi noted that most universities abroad are usually funded largely by the governments and other bodies to bring out their best and not only that, they also have special schools for the most gifted students but in the African continent, the governments shy away from such roles.
He said the absence of fundings and setting up of special schools for these gifted students, hamper research and technological drive in the continent.
The Prof who said Israel which is just about nine million population, in 2022, laid claims of over 17,000 patent rights, Nigeria with the population of over 200 million, could only boast of 16.
He said for the continent to get it right again, each of the countries that make up the continent should think of how to build a special school for a special and talented child in their various countries.
For the Honourable Minister of Federal Ministry of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman, said that Nigeria has pulled out two million out of school children back to school within a short period noting that he believes that before the end of this present administration, the other 18 million will all be finally pulled back to school.
Also speaking, the former president of Kenyan, Uhuru Kenyatta, called on African leaders to invest massively in the education of their children noting that, that is the only way to guarantee a secured and a better future.
He also urged the leaders to ensure that the educational curricular are in line with other climes so that the continent will not be left behind.
In his goodwill message, the presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 presidential election, Mr. Peter Obi, said it is time for the African leaders to work their talk and put the continent in the right footings and perspective and stop the rhetorics.
He said the African leaders should provides its citizens with functional education adding that, that is the only way the people can be taking out of poverty.
Mr. Obi thanked President Goodluck Jonathan for championing this course.
Obi said no Nigerian has done what Goodluck Jonathan has done for the country for setting the tone for free, fair and credible election in the country.
For the former First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan, she said that the talented children are both found among the rich parents and the poor parents.
She said efforts should be made to ensure that the process of selecting the gifted children should be all inclusive.
Earlier, the Edo State governor, Mr Godwin Obaseki, said that the state has been working the talk through its EDOBEST programme.
For the past President Goodluck Jonathan, who gave the rationale behind the setting up the foundation, called on the states of the federation to look out for states that are more endowed educationally to act as model for the development in the country
