A nongovernmental organization, Zaria Education Development Association, ZEDA, has advocated community participation in the management and control of education to save the system from total collapse.
Chairman Central Working Committee of the association Dr. Alimi Bello, stated this at pre 30th anniversary luncheon held on Wednesday as preparatory to the to the Annual General Meeting (AGM) slated for 25 and 26.
He observed that government could no longer shoulder the responsibility of education alone, hence the need for collective participation to ensure quality and standard education among the future generation.
Bello said further that ZEDA, as a community based education association has achieved a lot by complementing government’s effort towards this direction.
He stated that within the 30 years of existence, his association has assisted the youths with various form of scholarship that produced several professors, PhD holders, senior government, military and paramilitary officers as well as captains of industries among others.
He identified lack of commitment from well-meaning Nigerians towards the development of education as the greatest challenge faced by the association, urging for more commitment from all and sundry.
Earlier, the Guest speaker, Prof. Ahmed Tijjani Mora and Wakilin Maganin Zazzau who spoke on the topic: “Pioneering education development at community level: Zaria Education Development Association, ZEDA @ 30” at the event emphasised the need for matching skills with education.
He stressed the importance of youths’ engagement in skills acquisition and vocational training at all levels of their education.
“It’s unfortunate to see a graduate of mechanical engineering who could not repair a common vehicle plug.
“This is why our students need to be engage fully in practical than concentrating only in theory by our tertiary institutions of learning.
“ZEDA has over years being engaging youths not only on theory, that’s why scholarship were given to artisans to enable them specialize in various trading and vocational activities for self-dependency.” He noted.
