Here plse find the communique issued at the just concluded CBCN CONFERENCE: CHURCH AND STATE PARTNERSHIP IN THE PROVISION OF QUALITY EDUCATION Communiquè at the End of the First Plenary Meeting of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) at the Divine Love Retreat and Conference Centre Sabon Lugbe, Abuja, March 8-14, 2014 Preamble We, the members of Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN), at the conclusion of our First Plenary Meeting of the year 2014, send prayerful greetings to the Church and the people of Nigeria. At the Divine Love Retreat and Conference Centre (DRACC), Sabon-Lugbe, Abuja, from March 8 to 14, 2014, we prayed and reflected on the theme: Church and State Partnership in Providing Quality Education for the Nigerian People. We now share the fruits of our reflection with the Church and the Nation. Education in Nation Building History shows that the Church started very early to invest heavily and fruitfully in quality education in what is now known as Nigeria. She established schools which were known for their good academic and moral standards, and their non-discriminatory policies, even in the difficult terrain of rural Nigeria. Prior to the government take-over of schools in the 1970s both the Church and the State were partners in education. As a result of the take-over, the initiatives of voluntary agencies were stifled, and the quality of education in Nigeria experienced and still experiences a sharp decline. Provision of Quality Education The good health of a nation is largely dependent on the quality of education of her citizens. The numerous problems affecting our country Nigeria are very obvious: corruption, abuse of power, insecurity, poverty, discrimination, to name but a few. We cannot confront these challenges without investing in the provision of quality education. With integral education, the human person is formed to be loving and caring, able to actualize his or her potential, contribute to the attainment of the common good and fulfill his or her aspiration. Quality education in this respect has a religious and moral content. Education, in the final analysis, is a means of cooperating with God to overcome evil and bring out the best in the human person. Challenges Facing the Education Sector Nigerians have a deep hunger for education. The quality of facilities in our schools, secondary schools, polytechnics and universities is not commensurate with the announced budgetary allocation, a fact which strongly suggests the invasion of the education space by corruption and misappropriation of public funds. The high cost of quality education places it well beyond the reach of the poor. Yet, some Nigerian parents are willing to sacrifice much, including personal comfort, in order to ensure that their children receive good education. Not finding schools good enough within Nigeria for their children, they send them around the world, not only to countries of Africa, but even to Europe, America and Asia. The provision of high quality education that imparts intellectual, moral and professional competence, the good state of facilities in our institutions of learning, adequate remuneration of those who work in them, these and related factors pose grave fiscal challenges. The future of the education sector in Nigeria largely depends on planning, funding and proper management. Funding of Education and Partner-Friendly Policies Nigeria, therefore, needs to take an urgent look at the regulatory framework in the education sector. The current formulation and execution of policies in the education sector do not enable public-private partnership. We therefore urge Government to abrogate policies that impede partnership in education. On the one hand, experience has shown that Government’s sole funding of education is not realistic in our present circumstances. On the other hand, there are many parents who cannot fund the education of their children without assistance. This should not make Government take over the role that rightly belongs to parents. Rather, Government should, in line[truncated by WhatsApp]
Posted on: Sun, 16 Mar 2014 05:25:15 +0000