The Rivers State Commissioner for Education, Dr Tamunosisi Gogo-Jaja has stressed the need for the active involvement of organisations, corporate bodies, churches and mosques in the education of the child in the society.
The commissioner made the call recently when a coalition of non-governmental organisations paid him a courtesy visit in his office in Port Harcourt.
He said: “we are encouraging non-governmental organisations, corporate bodies to take active interest in the total education of the child.
“There is nowhere in the world where education is the sole responsibility of government”.
He listed content, infrastructure, educational materials and attitudinal changes as areas when such organisations can come in to add value for the development of education.
“We are in era of moral decadence they have a role, women getting married to women which is not our culture, they have a role to discourage them.
“You hear of codine and tramadol, they have a role to discourage children from drug abuse and cultism, there is unlimited roles the organisations can play”, the commissioner said.
He commended the huge investment and priority attention being given to education sector in the state under the present administration and assured the organizations that Governor Wike is committed to encouraging organizations whose interest is for the development of the sector as against personal interest.
He explained that education is not restricted to only former education but that total education which requires where parents, teachers, churches and mosques as well as other organizations and individuals have roles to play.
The commissioner said the danger of not braying the children in proper ways is that they would grow to constitute problems in the society.
The President of Concerned Organisation of Peace and Equity, Comrade Christian Obi, thanked the commissioner for the achievement being recorded within three years of the present administration.
He said the body as a coalition of NGOs and CBOs decided to visit the commissioner to intimidate him of their various efforts in the development of the sector and need for more partnership.

Chris Oluoh