Former vice-chancellor, University of Lagos and the President, Nigeria Academy of Science, Oyewusi Ibidapo Obe will alongside other professionals proffer critical steps Nigeria need to take towards developing her education system at the 2nd edition Akin Ogunbiyi Foundation lecture series.
Ibidapo Obe will be delivering the lecture titled “The new normal and the case for alternative schooling in Nigeria” at the virtual event scheduled for 29th of October 2020.
Dare Ojo, coordinator of the Foundation, while commenting on the theme for this year’s event, said the Coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19) has no doubt adversely affected the global economy and the Educational Sector. It has forced many businesses to temporarily shut down and many governments across the world were forced to restrict human movement via social distancing in a bid to flatten the curve.
According to Ojo, “The severe impact of the pandemic on the educational sector has led to new conversations which are imperative to advance the sector. The foundation has decided to place the spotlight on the current phenomenon with the belief that the Nigerian educational sector needs to be examined and a way forward should be proferred for the sector in the country.”
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It is expected that the lecture will examine the policy thrusts and pragmatic options to navigate the current crisis in the Nigerian (and African) education sector, due to the current global pandemic and restricted access to learning.
The Akin Ogunbiyi foundation is set up as philanthropic gestures of Ogunbiyi, group chairman, Mutual Benefit Assurance Group, who is renowned for supporting various students with scholarship awards both within and outside the country.
The Foundation seeks for inclusive growth and progress for every Nigerian and by extension Africans in addressing the root cause of poverty and degradation. The cardinal pillars of the organisation include Health; Education; Empowerment; Leadership and Poverty Alleviations.
