The Edo State governor, Godwin Obaseki, says the government through its various reforms is preparing Edo children for opportunities in the emerging knowledge-based economy in the state.
The governor, who spoke at the opening ceremony of the Edo Education Week 2023 last Wednesday in Benin City, noted that the goal of his administration’s reforms, is focused on improving human capacity development and building a prosperous workforce.
He disclosed that the state government recorded remarkable improvements in the education sector, noting, “The Edo Education Week is a week where we put together a series of events to underscore our focus in transforming public education and portray the success of education reforms in Edo State.
Gov. Obaseki further noted that, “In the last six years in the state, we have been able to focus on driving fundamental changes in education and preparing our young ones for the knowledge-based economy that is required for us to survive in the fourth industrial revolution.
Giving further insight, the governor stated that “The most cherished legacy that I want to be remembered for as a governor is a legacy that we are able to transform public education and create opportunities for thousands of children from different strata of the society, ensuring they get good, decent, world-class education like we did when we were growing up here”
The governor explained that the education week is planned at linking the state’s development plan with an education conscious citizenry.
“The theme of the education week is tied to our vision to drive our developmental plan with conscious and well-educated citizens. Our vision to build education at the foundational level and scale our interventions through the various levels of education up to the tertiary level as critical, to enable us build a workforce that will usher us into a prosperous society.
“The future we see is that of a state that doesn’t rely on oil resources alone from the federal government to run our economy. The future we see is four million well-educated citizens participating in our economy by undertaking various economic activities with the advantages and knowledge acquired.”
Obaseki said the focus and grand plan is to make Edo State the best place to live and work by the year 2050, noting that the best way to realize this dream is to train the workforce from the primary school level.
He added, “We started the education reform in 2018 when we launched the EdoBEST programme in the state as we started with a pilot scheme before full rollout across the basic school system in the three Senatorial Districts in the state. With EdoBEST 2.0, we now have a more holistic model that has been rolled out across various levels of education. Under the model, we are prioritizing grassroots sports development and other curricular activities to give Edo children the best education.”
In her remarks, the commissioner for Education, Dr. Joan Osa Oviawe, expressed appreciation to Edo people for supporting the successes of the Governor Obaseki-led administration in the education sector, which started on April 19, 2018.
The keynote speaker, Lebo Mashile, an education expert from South Africa, underscored the role of youths in the emerging world order, noting that they are a powerful resource for growing the economy.
