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Stakeholders chart new course for quality education at MOUAU International Conference

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By Sunday Anyim Okorie, Joy Nlebedum and Collins Eke-Ginger

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‎Stakeholders in Nigeria’s education sector have called for a fundamental rethink of the country’s educational system through innovative, inclusive and sustainable learning approaches, insisting that quality education remains the surest pathway to national development, global competitiveness and lasting social transformation.
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The consensus emerged at the 3rd International Conference of the College of Education, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike (MOUAU), with the theme: “Rethinking Quality Education: Innovative, Inclusive and Sustainable Learning from Early Childhood to Adulthood.”

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‎Declaring the conference open, the Vice-Chancellor of MOUAU, Prof. Ursula Ngozi Akanwa, described the gathering as a strategic platform for intellectual engagement and the exchange of practical, evidence-based ideas capable of shaping the future of education. She urged participants to develop innovative solutions and strengthen partnerships that would inspire meaningful reforms across all levels of education in response to emerging social, technological and economic realities.
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‎The Secretary to the Abia State Government and the Chairman of the Conference, Dr. Emmanuel C. Meribole, reaffirmed the government’s commitment to transforming the education sector through strategic reforms and partnerships. Quoting the late Nelson Mandela that “education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world,” he stressed the need for innovative, inclusive and sustainable learning systems that will equip citizens with relevant knowledge and skills for the demands of a rapidly changing world.
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‎Also speaking, the Abia State Commissioners for Tertiary Education, Prof. Uche Eme Uche, and Basic and Secondary Education, Elder Goodluck Ubochi, reiterated the state’s resolve to reposition education as a catalyst for sustainable development. They urged governments, institutions, development partners and other stakeholders to adopt collaborative and inclusive policies that guarantee equitable access to quality education for learners at every stage of life.
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‎The conference also featured a keynote presentation delivered on behalf of Dr. Heike Pantelmann, Managing Director of the Margherita von Brentano Centre for Gender Studies, Freie Universität, Berlin, Germany, by Prof. Dorothy Ebere Adimora, as well as lead papers by Prof. Emmanuel Etta Ekuri of University of Calabar and Prof. Nnamdi Obikeze of Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University, Igbariam. The presenters advocated a holistic education system that promotes innovation, inclusiveness and lifelong learning while addressing contemporary societal and global challenges.
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‎The conference attracted academics, policymakers, researchers, development partners, students and education practitioners from across the country. It featured plenary and workshop sessions, presentation of awards to distinguished individuals and institutions for their contributions to education and national development, and concluded with a collective call for sustained collaboration to reposition quality education as a cornerstone of inclusive growth and sustainable national development.