The Executive Director of Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Center (CISLAC), Mr. Auwal Rafsanjani, has cautioned against squandering of recovered looted funds as they are to be judiciously utilised in the attainment of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Mr. Rafsanjani made this known during a one-day seminar organised by corps members serving at Image Merchants Promotion Limited (IMPR) to commemorate the International Education Day in Abuja.

The event tagged, ‘Creating Creative Solutions to Challenges in Africa’, was aimed at highlighting the roles of youths in the attainment of SDGs in the country.

He added that the government should channel looted funds to transform and develop the education sector as it will serve as a panacea to the ills bedevilling the country.

“To fight corruption and make the society better, there is a need for our government to invest in educating our youths. If they are properly educated, they will contribute their creative ideas to the advancement of the country,” he noted.

Also speaking, the chief host and Chairman of IMPR, Mallam Sule Yau Sule, said the dilapidated state of our education system has been the basis of insecurity like kidnapping and terrorism in the country.

“Lack of quality education, indiscipline and corruption are among many other epidemics that have consistently posed greater challenges to the development of the country.

“When we have quality education as well as facilities, it will serve as a panacea to the ills of our society. That is why IMPR is investing in youths by training and reorienting them towards contributing their quota to achieving the SDGs,” he emphasised.

Members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), serving at IMPR and the conveners of the event called on government and relevant stakeholders to invest in education and creativity which is a major concern in attaining the SDGs.

The main convener of the programme, Mr. Tomori Uriel, said the aim of the program is to discuss on the possible ways to achieve quality and equitable education in line with the provision of the SDGs.

Mr. Tomori added that the programme will help sharpen the curiosity, critical thinking, creative talent and problem-solving spirits of the youths.

“For Nigeria to develop sustainably, our government and stake holders need to take quality education, skills acquisition and youth empowerment more seriously. We must shun corruption and indiscipline, while reducing the illiteracy gap, most especially among the youths,” he noted.

Mr. Isah Ismaila, a co-convener added that it is important for the government to invest in creative and innovative youths and develop our curriculum to fit global trends as the world has become more connected and digitally inclined.

“If our curriculum fails to birth genuine literates who will bridge the digital gap between our societies and the developed ones, it is indeed a huge challenge to our education system. But if that is achieved, it will serve as a remedy to the ills of our society,” he added.

Similarly, Mr. Segun Adeyemi noted that there is a need for government to increase funding of the education system and remuneration of teachers as the sector and workers are underfunded and paid respectively.

“One of the major reasons why we don’t have competent teachers is as a result of proper payment of their salaries and has paved ways for quacks in the teaching profession. Also, there is a need to review our curricular to encourage specialised and strategic academic environment.”

Olanrewaju emphasised on the importance of Information and Communication Technology (ICT), in the advancement of the Nigerian education system as it has been ignored. While advocating for skills acquisition in the area of ICT, he noted that for education to be better, it must be harnessed with technology.

Representative of the NYSC management, Mrs. Ekeke Enitan, while commending the corps members for their initiative, urged other corps members to engage in the Skills Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development Program of the NYSC as it will help them develop their entrepreneurship skills.

The Project Manager, Penlight Centre for New Media Innovation, Mallam Ahmed Danyaro, also spoke at the event on behalf of Mr. Jaafar Jaafar, the Editor-in-Chief of DailyNigerian. (PRNigeria)