FOROYAA Newspaper (Serrekunda)
Gibairu Jammeh
14 March 2008
The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has on Monday, held its 13th Endowment Fund lecture at the Jama Hall in the Kairaba Beach Hotel.
The lecture was initiated in 1984 at the 30 council meeting in Monrovia, Liberia, in a bid to promote educational development project, provide funds for awards to deserving candidates, promote educational research and standardize the education system and also integrate the sub- regional curriculum.
This year's lecture was in connection to the 56th annual council meeting, which is hosted by the Gambia. The topic for this year's lecture was "Enhance agricultural education is an inevitable necessity for our survival." Presenting the lecture paper, Bishop Tilewa Johnson said agriculture is an area of study most relevant to our region. He said agriculture does not only provide food and income provision but also enable us to remember the history of our ancestors when mankind is connected to the land for survival. He said despite the crucial importance of agriculture it is still being rejected by the majority of the youths and is taken to be an occupation for those who are less educated. He said for agriculture to be valued today, the people must change their attitudes towards agriculture and the exams council must make Agric education system inspirational for the young to admire. He also spoke against the unfair trade terms that characterize the international economy and called on African states to search for opportunities that will enable them to have greater access to the international market.
Bishop Johnson also said that for agriculture to triumph there should be a friendly environment, political will, markets and technological advancement and if these factors are denied, then the system will not change for good. He remarked that the purpose of education is to prepare people for a meaningful life, and the challenge therefore lies with the examiners to make agric education system one that will be beneficial to the people after studying it in school. "Agriculture is an occupation that can be replicated whilst it is being taught. Inspiration from any field can only come from a positive vision. We cannot therefore separate agriculture from the socio-economic environment that is prevailing" the Bishop said. He also said that the education system should be such that it does include everybody in its learning process, adding that "people with physical disabilities must not be excluded in the learning process."
He concluded by calling on government and partners to support the agricultural system. He also challenged WAEC to present an education system that will be relevant to the lives of the people.
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