MUSWEN commends Egbeda LG Muslim community’s education initiative

THE Muslim Ummah of South West Nigeria (MUSWEN) has emphasised the importance of evaluation and review of strategies and efforts aimed at improving the quality of education of Muslims.

The Executive Secretary of MUSWEN, Professor Muslih Yahya, stated this at a one-day education summit with the theme ‘Rise to Action: Remodeling Education for 21st Century Relevance’, organised by the Egbeda Local Government Muslim Community in Ibadan, Oyo State.

In a keynote address, Professor Yahya described the summit as unique, noting that the organisers had spelt out strategies and solutions to ensure implementation of resolutions of the conference.

“We are not where we were; we are yet to reach the peak. For us to attain the deserved positions, we must put Allah first,” he said.

The lead discussant, a former Executive Secretary of the National Commission for Nomadic Education (NCNE), Professor Rashid Aderinoye, stressed the need for cooperation between the community and educational authorities to ease academic activities and monitoring of progress in education.

While commending the Egbeda Local Government Muslim Community for organising the education summit, Professor Aderinoye described functional and standardised education as a collective responsibility and urged parents, teachers and government to play their roles well.

In another presentation, a ormer Dean of the Faculty of Arts, University of Ibadan, Professor Afis Oladosu, tasked Egbeda Local Government Council on building a well equipped public library to encourage reading culture among students.

Professor Oladosu advised the Muslim community and the local government authorities to collaborate on evolving a structure for encouraging discipline and passion for education and innovation among students at young ages.

“Local government autonomy calls for judicious use of resources, especially for education development. Discovery and sponsorship of new scholars is an everlasting investment,” Oladosu said.

The Oyo State Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Professor Saliu Adelabu, represented by the Local Inspector of Education, Egbeda Local Government, Mrs Ilelaboye Aderonke, explained that the theme of the summit aligned with the government’s efforts to reposition education and address decay in the sector.

The chairman of the Oyo state Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Dr Nureni Adeniran, who spoke through Mr Abdulfatai Raji, promised the board’s continued support.

Dr Adeniran called on parents to provide good foundation for quality education and admonished stakeholders to be abreast of government educational policies with a view to making informed demands.

The chairman of Egbeda Local Government Council, Mr Sikiru Sanda, represented by his deputy, Mr Ibrahim Oladeebo (Simple), reiterated the significance of parents striving for the sound training of their children and urged the organisers to act on the recommendations of the summit.

The host, the chairman of the Egbeda Local Government Muslim Community, Sheikh MohammaduJamiu Abdulgafar, said the summit was aimed at boosting educational excellence among Muslim students and put them in a position to occupy their rightful places in all strata of the society.

Sheikh Abdulgafar hinted that five committees had been set up to cater for indigent and needy students, ensure improved standard of education and increased school enrollment, saying that about 3,000 copies of customised notebooks had been printed through donations from stakeholders in the local government.

The summit was attended by representatives of the Association of Model Islamic Schools (AMIS), the Legue of Imams and Alfas, mosques across the 11 wards of Egbeda Local Government Area, a member of the Oyo State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board, Alhaja Fatima Atobatele, among other dignitaries.

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