Editorial
Education: Towards Learning For Lasting Peace
 
																								
												
												
											As Nigeria participates in the global commemoration of the International Day of Education today, it is necessary to reflect on the themes related to education in the country. The International Day, marked every 24th of January, was established six years ago, to highlight the importance of education in society with a shared commitment to promoting accessible and equitable high-quality education. Education Day was established through a United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) Resolution on December 3, 2018.
The theme of the 2024 celebrations: ‘Learning for Lasting Peace’ is apt and instructive. Already, United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) has provided an explanation for this theme, underscoring the current surge in violent conflicts alongside a disturbing increase in discrimination, racism, xenophobia, and hate speech. The impact of this violence knows no boundaries, whether geographical, gender-related, racial, religious, or political.
Consequently, there is an urgent need for a resolute commitment to peace.
Education plays a role in this endeavour, as emphasised by the UNESCO Recommendation on Education for Peace, Human Rights, and Sustainable Development. The objective of learning for lasting peace is to be transformative, enabling learners to acquire the necessary knowledge, values, attitudes, skills, and behaviours to become agents of sustainable peace in their respective communities.
Recognising the utmost significance of education, the United Nations (UN) has embraced the integration of education into its ambitious Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), spotlighting its essential role in eradicating poverty and inequality. A robust economy, an enlightened society, and a vibrant culture – all these fundamental aspects of contemporary society rely heavily on the bedrock of high-quality education.
The right to education is indeed a universal human right that should be guaranteed to every child. However, it is alarming to see that there are still 258 million children and youth who are not able to attend school, while 617 million children and adolescents struggle with basic reading and math skills. The fact that less than 40 per cent of girls in Sub-Saharan Africa complete lower secondary school, and that there are four million out-of-school children and youth refugees is deeply concerning. It is clear that their right to education is being violated, and this is absolutely unacceptable.
The Global Partnership for Education (GPE) invests funds raised from donor countries such as the US and UK in uplifting education opportunities for the vulnerable children and youths. It estimates to have granted more than $231million for education in Kenya alone since 2005, and more than $275million for Nigeria over the last decade. In total, GPE has spent more than $5.7billion of donor funding on education across sub-Saharan Africa. But despite such levels of government and international spending, education outcomes are at crisis levels in the continent.
In Nigeria, the attendance rate for children of primary school age stands at a concerning 61 per cent, with even lower figures observed in the northern regions. The situation becomes particularly dire for female children in the North, as only approximately 40 per cent of them are enrolled in schools. Despite the technical requirement of compulsory education in Nigeria, nearly half of the primary school-aged children do not have access to education. This issue persists and worsens as children progress to secondary and tertiary levels, as highlighted by United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) in 2022.
The primary aspect of concern pertains to the number of children who are out of school, yet this is only one facet of the problem. Another critical issue revolves around the caliber of education that is accessible, encompassing various aspects such as the state of infrastructure and learning environments, the applicability and versatility of the curriculum, and the competence of educators and the process of training teachers.
Attention and action at a political strategy level is needed to address many issues in the education sector. The government must prioritise and invest in education effectively, including resource allocation for the Ministry of Education. Concerns about the current curriculum across all school levels should be addressed, evaluating its relevance and its preparation of Nigerian graduates for international competition. Also, the curriculum should equip students with necessary skills to tackle future challenges. These questions require thoughtful consideration and prompt action.
Evaluation of the teacher training colleges and the entry criteria for student teachers is required. A reassessment of the minimum requirements for studying education at the university level is also necessary. It is vital to determine whether education courses serve as a refuge for students unable to pursue their desired fields or if they truly attract the most talented individuals. Although infrastructure is significant, addressing these aforementioned concerns should take precedence as a well-equipped computer laboratory or library would remain underutilised otherwise.
Standardisation of the education industry is worrisome. Schools are established hastily in residential property without proper regulations. Unlicensed teachers are frequently hired to instruct students, and each school has the autonomy to choose the curriculum they wish to follow. Although this approach may elevate educational standards in certain cases, it also leaves room for lower standards in others. Therefore, consistent policies and procedures must be established to ensure uniformity throughout the education system.
The enhancement of the health and safety of students, as well as the improvement of working conditions for teaching staff, is of utmost importance. Furthermore, it is crucial to protect the rights and well-being of the girl child in Nigeria. Given these considerations, it would be highly detrimental for Nigeria to ignore the impact that education has on the overall quality of life for its citizens. A society that prioritises literacy fosters understanding, international cooperation, and a value-driven commitment towards our nation’s collective objectives and state-of-being.
Editorial
Strike: Heeding ASUU’s Demands
 
														Editorial
Making Rivers’ Seaports Work
 
														When Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, received the Board and Management of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), led by its Chairman, Senator Adeyeye Adedayo Clement, his message was unmistakable: Rivers’ seaports remain underutilised, and Nigeria is poorer for it. The governor’s lament was a sad reminder of how neglect and centralisation continue to choke the nation’s economic arteries.
The governor, in his remarks at Government House, Port Harcourt, expressed concern that the twin seaports — the NPA in Port Harcourt and the Onne Seaport — have not been operating at their full potential. He underscored that seaports are vital engines of national development, pointing out that no prosperous nation thrives without efficient ports and airports. His position aligns with global realities that maritime trade remains the backbone of industrial expansion and international commerce.
Indeed, the case of Rivers State is peculiar. It hosts two major ports strategically located along the Bonny River axis, yet cargo throughput has remained dismally low compared to Lagos. According to NPA’s 2023 statistics, Lagos ports (Apapa and Tin Can Island) handled over 75 per cent of Nigeria’s container traffic, while Onne managed less than 10 per cent. Such a lopsided distribution is neither efficient nor sustainable.
Governor Fubara rightly observed that the full capacity operation of Onne Port would be transformative. The area’s vast land mass and industrial potential make it ideal for ancillary businesses — warehousing, logistics, ship repair, and manufacturing. A revitalised Onne would attract investors, create jobs, and stimulate economic growth, not only in Rivers State but across the Niger Delta.
The multiplier effect cannot be overstated. The port’s expansion would boost clearing and forwarding services, strengthen local transport networks, and revitalise the moribund manufacturing sector. It would also expand opportunities for youth employment — a pressing concern in a state where unemployment reportedly hovers around 32 per cent, according to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).
Yet, the challenge lies not in capacity but in policy. For years, Nigeria’s maritime economy has been suffocated by excessive centralisation. Successive governments have prioritised Lagos at the expense of other viable ports, creating a traffic nightmare and logistical bottlenecks that cost importers and exporters billions annually. The governor’s call, therefore, is a plea for fairness and pragmatism.
Making Lagos the exclusive maritime gateway is counter productive. Congestion at Tin Can Island and Apapa has become legendary — ships often wait weeks to berth, while truck queues stretch for kilometres. The result is avoidable demurrage, product delays, and business frustration. A more decentralised port system would spread economic opportunities and reduce the burden on Lagos’ overstretched infrastructure.
Importers continue to face severe difficulties clearing goods in Lagos, with bureaucratic delays and poor road networks compounding their woes. The World Bank’s Doing Business Report estimates that Nigerian ports experience average clearance times of 20 days — compared to just 5 days in neighbouring Ghana. Such inefficiency undermines competitiveness and discourages foreign investment.
Worse still, goods transported from Lagos to other regions are often lost to accidents or criminal attacks along the nation’s perilous highways. Reports from the Federal Road Safety Corps indicate that over 5,000 road crashes involving heavy-duty trucks occurred in 2023, many en route from Lagos. By contrast, activating seaports in Rivers, Warri, and Calabar would shorten cargo routes and save lives.
The economic rationale is clear: making all seaports operational will create jobs, enhance trade efficiency, and boost national revenue. It will also help diversify economic activity away from the overburdened South West, spreading prosperity more evenly across the federation.
Decentralisation is both an economic strategy and an act of national renewal. When Onne, Warri, and Calabar ports operate optimally, hinterland states benefit through increased trade and infrastructure development. The federal purse, too, gains through taxes, duties, and improved productivity.
Tin Can Island, already bursting at the seams, exemplifies the perils of over-centralisation. Ships face berthing delays, containers stack up, and port users lose valuable hours navigating chaos. The result is higher operational costs and lower competitiveness. Allowing states like Rivers to fully harness their maritime assets would reverse this trend.
Compelling all importers to use Lagos ports is an anachronistic policy that stifles innovation and local enterprise. Nigeria cannot achieve its industrial ambitions by chaining its logistics system to one congested city. The path to prosperity lies in empowering every state to develop and utilise its natural advantages — and for Rivers, that means functional seaports.
Fubara’s call should not go unheeded. The Federal Government must embrace decentralisation as a strategic necessity for national growth. Making Rivers’ seaports work is not just about reviving dormant infrastructure; it is about unlocking the full maritime potential of a nation yearning for balance, productivity, and shared prosperity.
Editorial
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