The Minister of Education, Malam Ibrahim Shekarau, has held an interactive meeting with the Chairmen of Governing Boards of Parastatals/Agencies under the Federal Ministry of Education, with a call on them to work towards ensuring that the activities and programmes of their various agencies translate to enhancing effective teaching and learning at all levels of the education system.
Speaking during the meeting held at the Ministry’s Conference Room on Thursday, the Minister said that it would be a waste of time if activities/programmes carried out in the education sector do not translate into quality teaching that would educate the mind.
Consequently, Shekarau urged the chairmen to study the laws that established the agencies vis-a-vis the objectives, with a view to ensuring that the operations of the parastatals/agencies achieve the national goal, as well as the Transformation Agenda of this administration.
While assuring them of support and cooperation in performing their responsibilities, the Minister counselled them not to interfere or be overbearing on the chief executives of their agencies in the day-to-day running.
He said: “While we have rules and regulations.
“While you try to lead within the rules and regulations at all cost, you must use wisdom to get the agencies that you manage to move forward.
“You don’t allow the rules and regulations to hold you back, while at the same time you must not abuse the rules and regulations for selfish reasons.”
Shekarau expressed concern over persistent industrial action in the sector and indiscipline in the society in spite of more educated people, saying: “Education produces a responsible person.
“Why is it that the more educated people we have the more indiscipline being witnessed?”
He therefore called on them to come up with possible measures to stop disruption of teaching and learning in the education system, even when there is dispute between government and the teachers and how education could be used to curtail indiscipline in the society.
Expressing their views, the chairmen listed inadequate allocation of funds due to the ‘envelop system’ to the agencies, taking teaching job as last resort, none adherence to standards and negligence of the welfare of teachers as some of the causes of the problems in the sector.