By Olasunkanmi Akoni & Monsur Oloweoopejo

Former Nigerian Ambassador to Ethiopia and founder, African Refugee Foundation, AREF, Chief Segun Olusola has stressed the need for an immediate review of the nation’s educational system in order to address the decay in the sector.

Olusola made the remark on Wednesday at the 13th Valedictory Service and Prize-Giving Day of Good Shepherd Schools, Meiran, Lagos.

According to him, there was the need to overhaul the system as things had gone very bad, adding that recognizing the fact that things had gone wrong with the educational system would surely lead to a solution in curbing the decay.

“The fact that you recognized that there is decay in the system; we have to say this in public, so that the education authorities can read about it, hear about it and know there is decay.

“ Once they know, I have no doubt in my mind that the authorities in education at the state and federal government levels will be persuaded to set up a review, upgrade the system in such a way that the decay you refer to can be ameliorated,” he stated.

On whether plans to change the 6-3-3-4 education system would help to address the decay in the educational system, Olusola said he had no doubt that some consultation were going on, “but my recommendation is of the views that our professional teachers, both private and public ought to be taken into consideration for this far reaching changes to be introduced into the system.

“I think today, the contributions of teachers in private schools has been good; their views ought to be taken to consideration, once that is done, I have no doubt that they will be properly guided.”

Speaking at the occasion, the Head, Department of History and Strategic Studies, University of Lagos, UNILAG, Prof. Rufus Akinyele, who delivered a paper titled: Nigeria: The Nation, the Youths and the Future, lamented that governments at all levels had failed to improve the lots of youths.

“As in the past, the youths constituted the ‘destructive elements’ in the post election violence of March this year and in the ongoing Boko Haram crisis in the north.  The degree of threats to lives has necessitated the call for the cancellation of the National Youth Service Corps, NYSC”.

Incidentally, it is into this youth sector the graduating students of today’s ceremony are being released.  Does it mean then that the future is bleak? What strategies should they adopt to complement government efforts to improve their own situation?

“Let me quickly observe that the magnitude of the challenged in the youth sector has also created a good opportunity for this government to carve its name in gold and for individuals with clear vision to excel,” he said.

On the way forward, he called on the Federal Government to review the national youth policy, create youth development centres, create massive employment for youths and adherence to the national youth development index.