Holistic education, antidote to corruption, says don

A university teacher, Prof Sunday Owolabi has posited that a holistic education system is the only antidote to effectively tackle the vexed issue of corruption and other multifaceted problems confronting the nation.

According to him, a “strong” teaching of values of integrity, honesty, citizenship, transparency, civic values, business ethics, moral uprightness and respect for rule of law are some of the ingredients needed to curb corruption among the citizenry.

Owolabi who is the Deputy vice chancellor (administration), Babcock University, Ilisan, Ogun State spoke at the maiden graduation and award ceremony of Babcock Academy, Abeokuta.

The DVC who spoke on the topic, “The role of holistic education in curbing corruption in Nigeria”, maintained that ethics and value system must be included in schools curricula in order to change the mindsets of our youths.

Citing a research report by the International Development Bank (IDB) in Latin America, which focused on 30,000 students in 8th grade drawn from six countries namely Chile, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Mexico and Paraguay, the university teacher said the study showed that students with more civic education are less permissive of corrupt practices and less likely to violate the law.

“Education offers a way out of poverty by challenging the corruptive structures and systems within the public sector. While transnational organisations and the private sector still struggling to deal with corruption successfully, schools and other institutions can play a much more important role in addressing the scourge.”

He also identified indiscipline among leaders as one of the major problems facing the country, wondering why they obey laws whenever they are outside the country but disregard laws in their own country”.

The vice chancellor, Prof. Ademola Tayo, lauded the school on the feat recorded in the recent Senior Secondary Certificate Examination (SSCE) and West African Examinations Council (WAEC) results.

Tayo advised the graduating students to be hard working, focused and good ambassadors of the school, wherever they find themselves.He assured of the support and assistance of Babcock management to the school, while thanking the parents for believing in the college.The Principal of the school, Elder Obot Samuel in his speech disclosed that the school took off in 2014 with only 37 students, which had now grown to 283.