The National President of the Association for Formidable Educational Development (AFED), Emmanuel Kanu Orji, has called for the establishment of a broad-based coalition involving key stakeholders to address Africa's persistent education challenges, stressing that governments alone cannot drive the transformation the sector urgently requires.
Orji made the call during AFED's two-day National Education Conference held in Abeokuta, Ogun State, where education experts, policymakers, school administrators, and development partners gathered to deliberate on the future of education across the continent.
Speaking on the conference theme, "Africa's Education Challenges in Perspective: Unified Assessment, Equity, and the Promise of Artificial Intelligence (AI)," Orji advocated a comprehensive review of existing educational assessment systems. He argued that credible and standardised evaluation frameworks are essential for improving accountability within institutions and enhancing Africa's global educational competitiveness.
According to him, assessment methods should move beyond traditional grading systems to embrace a more holistic approach that evaluates students' creativity, leadership abilities, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills.
"Assessments must actively identify learners' strengths and gaps while also measuring competencies required for success in the modern world," he stated.
The AFED President also expressed concern over the growing educational inequality across the continent, warning that children in low-income communities, rural settlements, and underserved regions continue to face significant barriers to quality education.
He maintained that every child deserves equal access to quality learning opportunities, irrespective of social status, geographical location, or economic background.
"True educational excellence cannot thrive in an environment where millions of children remain excluded from quality learning opportunities," Orji said.
Addressing security concerns, Orji strongly condemned the rising incidents of school kidnappings in Nigeria, describing them as deliberate attacks on education and the future of young learners.
He urged President Bola Tinubu to deploy all necessary security resources, including intelligence and law enforcement agencies, to decisively tackle the menace and restore confidence in the nation's educational institutions.
On technological advancement, AFED called on African countries to embrace Artificial Intelligence as a tool for educational innovation. The association noted that strategic adoption of AI could significantly improve teaching, learning, and educational management across the continent.
Also speaking at the conference, the Registrar of the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN), Ronke Soyombo, commended AFED for its commitment to educational development but cautioned school proprietors against compromising professional standards.
She emphasised the need for certified teachers in classrooms, insisting that unqualified individuals should not be allowed to teach. Soyombo further stressed the importance of strong literacy and numeracy skills among educators and called on school owners to improve teachers' welfare packages to attract and retain qualified professionals.
The TRCN Registrar also advocated the deployment of highly competent teachers to early childhood and foundational education levels, noting that quality instruction during the formative years is critical to learners' long-term academic success.
She encouraged educators to continuously upgrade their digital and pedagogical skills to remain effective in the rapidly evolving education landscape.
In his remarks, the President of the Grand Union of Private Schools Associations (GUPSA), Ogun State Chapter, Abdulazeez Ajibola, highlighted the importance of Public-Private Partnerships (PPP) in addressing longstanding challenges within the education sector.
Ajibola noted that stronger collaboration between government institutions and private sector players would unlock critical investments, improve infrastructure, and accelerate educational development across Nigeria and Africa.
The conference concluded with renewed calls for collective action among governments, educators, development partners, technology firms, faith-based organisations, and community leaders to build a more inclusive, equitable, and technology-driven education system for future generations.
Download our Mobile App for easy access
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.edutvmobile.ng&hl=en
Mobile App Lite
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.edutvng.lite
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.edutvmobile.ng&hl=en
Follow us on Youtube
https://youtube.com/@edutvnigeria
Follow us on LinkedIn -
https://ng.linkedin.com/company/edutvnigeria
Follow us on Instagram
https://instagram.com/edutvnigeria
Follow us on Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/edutvnigeria
