-Advocates quality education to curb violence, insecurity
By Chika Otuchikere
As part of keeping up with its social responsibility obligation, the Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC) has built and fully equipped a block of Science Laboratory for the Zaria Academy, Shika, Kaduna State. A statement by the NDIC Head, Communication & Public Affairs, Mohammed Kudu Ibrahim disclosed.
The NDIC Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Umaru Ibrahim who personally unveiled the highly applauded donation, made a case for quality education as remedy to check the spate of violence and insecurity currently ravaging the country.
Ibrahim made the call weekend, in a Keynote address he delivered during the 15th Graduation Ceremony of Zaria Academy, where he lamented the upsurge in violent crimes and other challenges of insecurity, especially among youths in the country.
The NDIC boss who expressed the belief that the situation could be attributed to poor and weak educational system, therefore called for concerted efforts from all stakeholders, to guarantee qualitative education for millions of the nation’s youths to prepare them for gainful employment opportunities and better living conditions.
Ibrahim who urged Nigerians to view the provision of quality education as the responsibility of all, described complete reliance on Government alone for delivery of quality education as unrealistic.
He called on the private sector to compliment government’s efforts, stating that the resources available to government could not provide the type of education required to produce graduates that were not only employable, but also adaptable to the rapidly changing global economy.
According to Ibrahim, the squalid education situation, especially in the Northern states, informed the Corporation’s acceptance of the request from the Zaria Academy for the construction and equipping of its Science Laboratories which were razed by fire about two years ago.
He expressed delight that the NDIC’s modest intervention largely contributed to the successes of the last two sets of graduates from the academy.
While noting the low standard of education in the Northern states and the low rate of Senior Secondary School enrollment, Ibrahim called on governors in the region to improve the educational standards of their states and also offer scholarships to bright indigent students.