A don, Prof. Biodun Akinpelu, of the Faculty of Education, Lagos State University (LASU), has said that education, the world over, should be seen as a tool for lasting liberation of the mind, and a reliable weapon for creativity and as a veritable tool for societal transformation from generation to generation. He, however, said that the journey, in the education sector, within the past years, had not been easy in Nigeria.
Besides, he stated that the glaring economic downturn has seriously and negatively affected the meaning and essence of education in the country, and this has become an issue at all levels of education.
Akinpelu, who spoke as a guest speaker during the 2025 graduation ceremony, speech and prize-giving day of Christ the King International College, Ife Odan, Osun State, commended the proprietor, the academic and administrative teams of the school for their purposeful efforts.
He said: “I have been in the vanguard of emphasising the place of quality education for meaningful personal and societal development for quite some decades. I stand as a product of a quality educational system that produced exceptional minds that have made their marks in the economic, political and social landscape within and outside Nigeria, thereby bringing our nation to global recognition.
“Today, the focus of our leaders towards education and by extension, national development, has become highly distorted. The future looks very bleak, and sad to say that one has seen the unbelievable.”
The don said that the rate at which most Nigerian youths have become social miscreants – fraudsters, armed robbers, prostitutes, kidnappers and terrorists – proves that we as a nation have lost our values, and sense of judgment, adding that academic performance of learners could be significantly heightened through effective communication and collaboration, adding that strategies that will enhance students’ interest in different school subjects have to be explored.
He, however, urged teachers to create an interactive learning environment that would enhance learner participation, create learning contents that relate to the real world and not abstract content, as well as encourage reflection and critical thinking by learners at all levels.
Akinpelu also implored them to give room for collaborative learning through group projects and peer interaction via debates, drama and discussions to facilitate students’ competence and confidence in different school subjects, among others.
He, therefore, wished the chairman of the occasion, monarchs, eminent guests, the schools and all stakeholders a very rewarding celebration He also wished the graduating students a future full of peace, progress and lasting hope.
