Zephaniah Jisalo: We must elevate our basic education to global standard | TheCable

Zephaniah Jisalo, Minister of Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Affairs, Calls for Elevating Basic Education to Internationally Acceptable Standard

The country needs to elevate basic education to an internationally acceptable standard, according to Zephaniah Jisalo, Minister of Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Affairs. He made this statement at the official launch of the ‘Back to School’ jump start project phase two in the Surulere area of Lagos state. The initiative is one of the numerous projects of the National Lottery Trust Fund aimed at improving the standard of basic education across the nation.

Emphasis on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

1. Goal 4: Quality Education
2. Goal 17: Partnerships for the Goals

“I commend the National Lottery Trust Fund for their excellent work in harnessing resources to facilitate this wonderful initiative. The idea to help jump start schools by equipping our students with state-of-the-art educational materials for academic excellence and improving the standard of education to international standard is a well-conceived program,” Jisalo said.

“The funding of implementation of the 2nd phase of this program by the National Lottery Trust Fund is meant to build on the successes of the first phase, which has tremendously improved the standard of learning and provided a conducive learning environment in public schools across Surulere Federal Constituency,” Jisalo added.

“On this note, let me reiterate that it is important that the management of the benefiting public schools must ensure the provision of these instructional and educational materials are judiciously utilized across the benefiting public schools so as to achieve the desired goal of a better standard of learning and conducive learning environment.

“It is therefore, on the strength of this effort, that I encourage the Fund to continue on this laudable path as we all strive to elevate basic education in Nigeria to an internationally acceptable standard. It is also very important to ensure the full monitoring and evaluation of the project so that the outcomes envisaged for the learning program are delivered for the benefit of Nigerians,” Jisalo emphasized.

“I congratulate the good people of Lagos State, particularly the Surulere Federal Constituency, on this very special occasion of the launch of this project. I also commend and urge the initiator of this program, the Chief of Staff to the President, to continue on this path of initiating laudable projects that will reflect the current national dynamics,” Jisalo concluded.

Project Overview

• The initiative was designed to address the vulnerabilities of the public education system exposed by the COVID-19 pandemic.
• The project has impacted the lives of 46 schools in the Surulere Federal Constituency.

“This laudable project is part of our collective responsibility to continue to impact the lives of our nation’s youths by helping to boost Nigeria’s educational sector. We recognize that educational gaps still exist within the sector, and we seek to address some of these gaps and improve the current capacity of schools by providing assistance in promoting Best Practices through the Back to School Jump Start Project Phase II,” said Adaku Apugo, Head of the Planning Committee.

“Notwithstanding the success of the first phase of the Back to School Jump Start Project, the Nigerian educational system still grapples with multiple factors that have negatively impacted the education of millions of children. The reality is that teachers as well as children do not have access to the basic tools necessary for e-learning, hence the educational system suffers and will continue to suffer if we do not take proactive steps to ensure that teachers and students are provided with the key tools that they need to thrive.

“The Jump start project phase II implementation has identified the following four strategic priority areas to make this intervention a success:

1. Classroom infrastructure
2. Sanitary facilities
3. Stationery
4. The deployment of a national Learning Management Systems (LMS) for e-learning

“These priority areas constitute a comprehensive hierarchy of the challenges faced by the public educational system and the solutions that prepare us for the future,” Apugo explained.

SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

1. SDG 4: Quality Education

   • Target 4.1: By 2030, ensure that all girls and boys complete free, equitable, and quality primary and secondary education leading to relevant and effective learning outcomes.
   • Indicator 4.1.1: Proportion of children and young people (a) in grades 2/3; (b) at the end of primary; and (c) at the end of lower secondary achieving at least a minimum proficiency level in (i) reading and (ii) mathematics, by sex.
   • Indicator 4.1.2: Participation rate of youth and adults in formal and non-formal education and training in the previous 12 months, by sex.

2. SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

   • Target 11.3: By 2030, enhance inclusive and sustainable urbanization and capacity for participatory, integrated, and sustainable human settlement planning and management in all countries.
   • Indicator 11.3.1: Ratio of land consumption rate to population growth rate.
   • Indicator 11.3.2: Proportion of cities with a direct participation structure of civil society in urban planning and management that operate regularly and democratically.

Analysis

The article highlights the need to elevate basic education in Nigeria to an internationally acceptable standard. This aligns with SDG 4, which focuses on quality education. The specific targets under SDG 4 that can be identified based on the article’s content are:

1. Target 4.1: By 2030, ensure that all girls and boys complete free, equitable, and quality primary and secondary education leading to relevant and effective learning outcomes.
2. Target 4.3: By 2030, ensure equal access for all women and men to affordable and quality technical, vocational, and tertiary education, including university.

The article mentions the initiative to improve the standard of basic education and provide state-of-the-art educational materials for academic excellence. These initiatives aim to achieve the desired goal of a better standard of learning and a conducive learning environment. These goals align with the targets mentioned above.

The article does not explicitly mention any indicators related to the identified targets. However, it implies the need for indicators to measure progress towards the identified targets. The article mentions the provision of instructional and educational materials that should be judiciously utilized across public schools to achieve the desired goal. This suggests the need for indicators related to the utilization of educational materials and the improvement in learning outcomes.

Table: SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Behold! This splendid article springs forth from the wellspring of knowledge, shaped by a wondrous proprietary AI technology that delved into a vast ocean of data, illuminating the path towards the Sustainable Development Goals. Remember that all rights are reserved by SDG Investors LLC, empowering us to champion progress together.

Source: thecable.ng

Join us, as fellow seekers of change, on a transformative journey at https://sdgtalks.ai/welcome, where you can become a member and actively contribute to shaping a brighter future.