Former Head of State, Gen. Yakubu Gowon (rtd), has called for adequate investment in the education sector in Nigeria.
Gatekeepers News reports that Gowon, while speaking during a thanksgiving service to mark the 20th anniversary of Africa International College and Africa Community School in Abuja on Sunday, said investment in education will build a formidable society.
The former head of of State, who was represented by his brother, Dauda Gowon, said issues in the education sector, such as out-of-school children, school safety and others were intractable, hence the need for involvement of all and sundry.
Gowon applauded the school management for giving attention to sporting activities to build both the physical and mental abilities of the students.
He said, “The school is giving attention to sports because it is building the minds; not just the mental but also physical. If your body is weak, your mind could also be weak.
“The school has standard sporting facilities that will allow the minds to rejuvenate when the body is weak.
“Students who graduated from this school are all over the world. They achieve first class degrees; wherever they go, they make a mark, not just in academics but also in manners, character and influence.
“Also, there are lots of issues in the education sector which are intractable. If managers of education will invest in students, we will have good impacts on education.”
The Executive Secretary of the schools, Caroline Yakubu, said that sporting activities had been discovered to be lucrative, adding that that was why they were encouraged in the school.
She said, “The school is giving attention to sports because we believe if we want to raise a total child, every aspect of the child must be fully developed.
“That is captured in our vision as an institution to cover and develop the potential of the child. So sports are one of the talents we can draw out and help the students to fully develop.
“This is because sport is one of the things that takes the students to a very great height; not only will it help them to be physically fit but also mentally fit and also develop their social skills.”
On his part, the Chairman of the school’s board, Nda Yakubu, said that access to funds, land and other infrastructure had been the major challenges facing private school owners in the country.
He advised school owners not to relent in pressing forward in spite all the challenges in order to contribute their own quota toward the development of the country.
