Africa
PROF. Tunji Asaolu, Global Vice-President of the United World Congress of Diplomats, has emphasised the importance of investing in education to foster effective teaching and learning across Africa.
Asaolu, who is also the Vice-Chairman and CEO of the African School of Diplomacy and International Relations, shared his thoughts in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday in Abuja.
According to Asaolu, adequate investment in education is crucial to enhancing the quality of academic programmes and promoting the sharing of knowledge among young people on current global issues.
He stated, “We need investment in educational platforms to promote academic excellence across the continent.
“Many young Africans are excelling in education, but the world is moving quickly, and Africa must not be left behind. We envision seeing the Africa we dream of, and that is what the world needs.”
This vision, Asaolu explained, inspired the creation of the Africa Academy Achievers Award, aimed at advancing academic and economic excellence both at the individual and institutional levels.
“We intend to use education to make Africa more feasible. Currently, we are driving this through numerous academic programmes and activities that contributed to sustainable development.”
Asaolu also highlighted the goal of closing the “street-to-school” gap by 2050, stressing that no individual without an educational background should be left out of the global development process.
He noted that poor investment in education had hindered growth across Africa, and these areas need urgent attention to ensure all citizens have access to basic education.
He further explained that educational programmes would help bring people from the streets into schools and improve conditions in public schools.
“This includes renovating dilapidated schools, providing classroom furniture, books, school feeding programmes, and setting up digital libraries.”
Asaolu expressed his desire to partner with both federal and state governments to achieve these goals.
“This is an area we have neglected for too long. If we continue to ignore the need for adequate investment in education, we will keep getting unsatisfactory results.
“Transitioning from traditional classrooms to digital platforms will help us achieve the positive results needed for progress.
“Investment in education is a 21st-century priority for Africa, and we must be prepared for the future—particularly for out-of-school children—by 2063.”(NAN)
13th December, 2024.C.E
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