Educators' Role Towards Learning For Lasting Peace - Advocate for Reviewed Education Budget Allocation.

This year's international day of education focuses on Learning for Lasting Peace with hashtag #LeadingSDG4, by emphasising the crucial role education and teachers play in countering hate speech.

According to United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), "Education is a human right, a public good and a public responsibility."

If it is a public responsibility, then it's definitely the Government's responsibility as well.

UNESCO also cited that "without inclusive and equitable quality education and lifelong opportunities for all, countries will not succeed in achieving gender equality and breaking the cycle of poverty that is leaving millions of children, youth and adults behind.

Furthermore, UNESCO stated that, "Today, 250 million children and youth are out of school, and 763 million adults are illiterate. Their right to education is being violated and it is unacceptable. It's time to transform education."

For over several years, education in Nigeria has suffered setbacks.

This is again depicted in the 2024 budget that was proposed.

According to an analysis of the 2024 budget as released by PricewaterhouseCoopers International Limited (PwC) and Nigeria Economic Summit Group, out of 27.50 trillion Naira Aggregate Expenditure, only 8.7 trillion (31.6%) was earmarked for capital expenditure, while 9.92 trillion Naira, making 36.1% was allocated for Recurrent and 8.25 trillion Naira (30.0%) for Debt servicing.

For sectoral allocation as published by the budget office of the Federation, which is part of the capital expenditure, only 31.9% of the budget expenditure was allocated.

Education sector had NGN2.18 trillion allocated making 7.9% of the proposed budget whose projected revenue is NGN18.32 trillion, making the budget already in deficit.

On this International Day of Education, we call on educators and teachers to begin to advocate for the interest of the educational system by engaging with policy makers for upward review of the education sector allocation and to other stakeholders for development of the education sector, rather than embark on strikes and protests that do not address the root cause.

This would foster learning, peace, quality education, development and discourage hate speech.

Happy International Education Day!

#LeadingSDG4 #InternationalEducationDay

Bliss Ojeruse,
Saving Hand Development Initiative (SHADE-IN)

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