Principals drawn from African countries under the auspices of the African Confederation of Principals, ACP, have called on African leaders to accord priority attention to Secondary Education to compete favourably with other world systems.
They made their position known during the NEC meeting of the Africa Confederation of Principals (ACP) that was held in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital with the theme,” Achieving Sustainable Quality Secondary Education in Africa.”
Speaking at the event, the National President of All Nigerian Confederation of Principals of Secondary Schools, ANCOPSS, Mr. Izuagie Anselm, said that secondary school had a natural function of midwifing a smooth educational transition from basic to tertiary if literacy must be maintained and sustained in Africa for technological and structural advancement.
He, however, said that secondary education was not being given enough attention to perform its role due to systemic failure arising from the proper understanding of what education should mean to Africa.
The educationist noted that Africa was rich in all spheres but lacks proper coordination of its interest to compete favourably with other world systems.
” Even when there is a realisation of what role secondary education should play in achieving educational development, the will-power is circumspect because of poverty.
” Thus, there is underestimation, sentimentality, lack of focus. The position of Africa as a Third World Continent and a growing economy is also key to Africa’s weak background to establish basic structures to start with.
” There is poor funding leading to poor learning environment and other social divide. The overall importance of secondary education and education generally is commonly overlooked,” he said.
He said that the objective of the conference was to explore ways to advise African Governors on how best to harness and harvest secondary education in the continent.
Anselm, however, commended President Muhammadu Buhari’s giant strides at revamping secondary education in view of its importance in the educational strata.
Also speaking, the President of the African Confederation of Principals, ACP, Mr Alfred Indimuli commended the role Nigeria is playing by sharing its past experience in education, management of the education sector and management of the institutions.
Mr. Indimuli added that the body values Nigeria’s membership as it values the membership of other countries all over.
Earlier, the former President of ANCOPSS, Mrs. Fatimah Abdulraman, said the theme of the conference was a reflection for all stakeholders in the education sector in Africa to realize that sustainable education had come to stay in the continent.
” If really we want to maintain quality secondary education in Africa and groom our children for higher education all hands must be on deck to put in place what is expected of stakeholders in promoting secondary education.”
Chairman Board of Trustee of ANCOPSS, Sen. Ibrahim Shekarau, who said no nation can grow without quality teaching and learning, called on the government to increase funding for the education sector so that they can catch up with the new technological advancement in the process of communication and network in the process of teaching and learning.
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