In his determination to use education as tool for economic transformation, Delta State Governor, Senator Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, has inaugurated a six-man committee to organise an education summit.

Inaugurating the committee yesterday in Asaba, Governor Okowa stated that “a good educational system has the capacity to produce transformed individuals in the sense that they are equipped with the knowledge and skills to develop the society they live in and make a success of their careers and lives.”

He stated that organising an education summit has become necessary to check the falling standards and noticeable deficiencies in our present education system in the state and the country in general.

While stating that the theme of the summit which would hold in the first quarter of 2016 is, “Leap Frogging Education in Delta State,” the Governor said the committee which has former Commissioner in the state, Prof. Patrick Muoboghare as Chairman and Mr Vincent Magboma as Secretary, should consider “learning goals, value orientation, social transformation, community participation, learning climate, service learning and centre of excellence,” while choosing resource persons for the summit.

Buttressing the need for the summit, Governor Okowa said it was part of his campaign promises to refocus the curricula of schools in the state. The Governor asserted that, “there is a sense of realisation that our present educational system is grossly deficient and out of touch with the realities of the 21stcentury society; in fact, those who say we should declare state of emergency in our education sector are speaking the minds of many Nigerians.”

“In today’s knowledge economy, education, not oil or natural resources has become the competitive edge of serious countries all over the world; the meteoric rise of countries like Singapore, Malaysia, China and South Korea that have leapfrogged other third world nations and joined the elite league of developed nations is due largely to the development of their human capital,” the Governor observed.

He noted that human resources accounts for 65 per cent of a nation’s socio-economic development.

Responding on behalf of members of the committee which include, Hon. Chiedu Ebie, Sir Jude Sinebe, Mrs Pat Ejeteh, (Prof.) Mrs Mary Edema and Mr Jackson Ekwugum, the chairman of the committee, Prof. Muoboghare thanked Governor Okowa for deeming them fit to serve in the committee, noting that the committee has capable members to plan for the summit.

•Photo shows, from left; Delta State Governor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa; Prof. Patrick Muobuoghare and the Commissioner for Higher Education, Engr Jude Sinebe, during the Inauguration of the 6-man Committee on Education Summit, in Asaba on Tuesday.