Union Bank and The Education Partnership (TEP) Centre recently partnered to host the 2019 Education Innovation Summit (NEDIS), a platform that highlights the role of education innovations in solving challenges facing the education sector.
The summit which held in Lagos, drew educators and stakeholders from government, research and academia, and a broad range of education innovators for two days of rich discourse, knowledge sharing, learning, capacity development and networking.
In a statement by the bank, panellists and speakers at the summit included Obi Ezekwesili, former Minister of education, Fela Durotoye, Chief Executive Officer, GEM Group and Statistician-General/CEO National Bureau of Statistics Yemi Kale among others.
The two-day event also featured an enlightening session on ‘Sustainable Financing for Innovative Teaching and Learning’ during which the Head of Education Institutions at Union Bank, Emmanuel Essien, joined by Co-founder of Andela, Iyinoluwa Aboyeji and other industry stakeholders discussed critical issues relating to financing education on Nigeria.
Speaking on the Bank’s partnership with TEP Centre for the summit, Ogochukwu Ekezie-Ekaidem, Union Bank’s head of corporate communication and marketing, said, “Union Bank is pleased to support NEDIS; a platform whose essence aligns with our focus on boosting the education sector. Following the first edition of our education event – edu360, which held last year, we realise that great ideas and collaboration are key to moving the education sector forward. We hope that the discussions and conversations at NEDIS will unearth new ideas and stories that will help build this very crucial sector.”
As part of her welcome remarks to the delegates at NEDIS, TEP Centre’s Managing Director, Modupe Adefeso-Olateju said, “In making the leap from a small-scale of innovations into a larger scale across the country, it is important to make the Education Innovation Summit a platform where there is a focus on things that are pertinent in the education sector, and bring together a cross-section of stakeholders from various sectors to view the thematic focus of education from various lenses. With this, we can resolve the challenges in the education sector through combination, coordination, and cooperation of these diverse stakeholders.”
While addressing the attendees, Ezekwesili highlighted major areas for improvement in the Nigerian education system. According to her, “The focus on education systems is timely and needed if Nigeria is to advance globally. It is imperative we disrupt the status-quo because the world has left us behind and we need to catch up in terms of strengthening our education systems.”
Since its inception, conversations at NEDIS have explored new, exciting and sustainable approaches for increasing access to quality education, especially for the marginalized and underserved. Discussions at the summit underscore the importance of identifying and systematically scaling innovations such that they become more deeply embedded in policy systems and reach more beneficiaries.
HOPE MOSES-ASHIKE
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