Last week, a two-day national education summit held at the University of Lagos which focused essentially on evolving a functional policy of education as a way of enhancing the delivery of quality education in Nigeria.

Tagged "Evolving a Functional Education Policy for Nation Building", the summit was attended by teachers, educationists, parents, government functionaries, policymakers and students.

Speaking at the event, Nigerian Ambassador to Ghana, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro, reiterated the need for stakeholders' active participation in the efforts towards giving Nigeria a viable education policy, adding that "what we come up with will hopefully change the way we view education and the way we move education forward."

Represented by Mr. Kayode Bawa-Allah, Obanikoro said, "We strongly believe that for any policy to be effective, the stakeholders must be involved. And that is the essence of the summit. If somebody sits in the house or in the office and come up with a policy without taking the input of the people that the policy will directly affect, that policy has failed before it is started."

Concerned about government's negligence in leading the path towards a viable education scheme, he further said that concerned stakeholders could 'take over' the responsibility from government, pointing out that this would take place through a gradual process "if the policy shapers and the residence of power (government) refuse to do their part".

"It is our hope that in doing their part, they will influence the government. And if they (government) are not influenced, they (concerned stakeholders) will take over over time".

"So, it's a message-a very strong and loud message-to the government officials and policy makers that they must awaken to their responsibilities", he added.

In a paper delivered at the summit, former House of Representative member, Hon. (Dr.) Tunde Lakoju condemned the decadence in the Nigerian education sector, drawing an analogy from the pathetic condition of a government school in his state of origin, Edo State.

"I come from Edo, one of the so-called most educationally advanced states in Nigeria. We have a government secondary school that has graduated about three sets. The school has only one government teacher, and that is the principal of the school, who, technically, does not teach because he is expected to coordinate the activities of the teachers.

"There are eight others in the school. Five of them are employed by the community and they each earn five thousand naira a month. That is all the community can afford, and the five of them are university graduates, who are paid five thousand naira a month, accommodation and transportation inclusive. There are three youth corp members.

The community accommodates them and pays them two thousand naira a month, in addition to their monthly stipends", he said.

Another paper titled: "Mass Media as a Medium of Educating the Nigerian Child" was delivered by Wahaab Alabi Oba, the Chairman, Nigerian Union of Journalists (Lagos State) at the summit.

Alabi Oba implored the mass media to position themselves in delivering to the Nigerian child the right education, information and entertainment needed so that they can remain relevant in the society.

"This paper titled: 'Mass Media as a Medium of Educating the Nigerian Child' does not by any means suggest a new responsibility for the mass media. It simply pinpoints the media as a major channel of educating the people, especially the child, who we often refer to as future leader, a role that many analysts are beginning to say that the media is not playing well.

"Youth organizations all over the world have argued that children are the most vulnerable members of the society.

"Therefore, any society committed to a better tomorrow must dedicate sufficient resources to ensuring a positive cognitive development of the children population," it says.

Using the acronym SPICE (meaning Social, Physical, Intellectual, Creative and Emotion) to explain how the media can positively 'teach, inform and entertain the Nigerian child, he further stated that "learning, which is a product of education, is a permanent change in behavior, which is not due to old age, ill health or effects of drug.

So the measurement of the achievement of the media as agent of education can only be measured by the attitude of the children population in the society."

Other dignitaries present at the summit were: Imo State commissioner for education, represented by Mrs. Dora Mirikwe; Director General of the NTA represented by Mr. Dayo Bamidele; and Mr. Charles Odibo.

Among the schools invited were: Queens' College, Yaba; Yewa High School, Saint Finbarrs College, Yaba; and Yabatech Secondary School, Yaba.