An Education and development policy expert in Rivers State, Mrs. Christie Ikhile, has challenged Nigerian Government, to urgently overhaul the Nation’s education system, warning that failure to align with global standards risks economic decline and rising unemployment rate. Speaking with newsmen in Port-Harcourt on the state of education and development currently in Ndoni Kingdom, Ogba/ Egbema/ Ndoni Local Government Area, Mrs. Ikhile noted that abandoned school projects, poor infrastructure, and weak implementation have impeded learning outcomes and stifled community growth.
“Education is the backbone of development in Nigeria, and cannot compete favourably in a global knowledge economy with broken classrooms and abandoned projects to the detriment of the helpless masses”, Mrs. Ikhile stated. She urged government at all levels, stakeholders in the Education Sector, to prioritize projects establishment, completion, reform curricula, empowerment of teachers, and the integration of global best practices into local education systems.
According to her, Nigeria’s education is at a crossroad, stressing that while the world invests in technology, innovation, and critical thinking, Nigeria continues to rely on outdated curricula, poorly equipped classrooms, and inconsistent policies. “The situation in Ndoni Kingdom, for instance, exemplifies this crisis:
Schools remain incomplete, vocational centres lack equipment, and teachers are demoralized.
“The results: youth unpreparedness for modern economic challenges. “Education reform is not about results. Aligning Nigeria’s education system with global standards requires policy continuity, teachers empowerment, digital integration, and disciplined project execution. “Without this, Nigeria risks the temptation of producing generations of citizens unfit for a competitive world”, Mrs. Christie Ikhile declared.
The public policy scholar, also observed that Nigeria’s path to sustainable development depends largely on education reform and effective project initiatives, and implementation, stressing that Ndoni Kingdom, with its stalled projects and incomplete school facilities for decades by past and present leaders, mirrors the national challenges: a mismatch between ambition and execution.
Mrs. Ikhile further recommended to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, Chairman of Ogba/Egbema/ Ndoni Local Government Area, among other stakeholders, on the importance of modernized curricula, emphasizing STEM, entrepreneurship, and digital literacy, completion of all abandoned projects, teacher regular training and retraining aligned with global standards, and partnership with private sector and technology institutions to help move the sector forward for better fruitful results. She maintained that education is not a cost, it is the nation’s strategic investment in future productivity and global relevance.
Mrs. Ikhile opined that education funding should be transparent and result- driven, curriculum reform must prioritize technology, critical thinking, and vocational skills, communities must participate in monitoring execution by leaders.
Read more: Eleme Launches School Feeding Program Pilot in Eleme
She lamented that Ndoni, known globally as rich in natural resources, endowed by God Almighty remains in its poor spate without government attention and action is appalling and unacceptable, which she said, had been there for so many years , due to neglect and abandonment, should now be effectively transformed by the federal and Rivers State governments under the administrations of President Bola Tinubu and Governor Siminalayi Fubara, including, other stakeholders in the sector for its possible revamp. She regretted that the matter has been giving the people of Ndoni sleepless nights on how it could be put in place for the overall educational advancement of the people for excellence in the systems.
“I, therefore, called on Nigerian leaders, including, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, and other leaders, as well as, government agencies saddled with the responsibilities of resuscitation of schools in the country and state, to formally resuscitate decayed education facilities, equipment, teachers welfare as priority, provision of conducive learning and teaching environment for worthful growth.
On the absence of federal education structures in Ndoni Kingdom, especially, the establishment of federal tertiary institutions, Mrs. Christie Ikhile appealed, to President Bola Tinubu to revisit the case of Ndoni and do the needful through the provision of federal and state tertiary institutions, which she said, would create job opportunities for the youths’ in the area, in particular and Rivers State and Nigeria in general for posterity sake. Mrs. Ikhile, however, admonished Mr. President and Governor Siminalayi Fubara, to use their good offices, to establish such institution in Ndoni Kingdom for the well-being of the people, as far as academic success is much concerned.
Mrs. Christie Ikhile used the opportunity, to enjoined Ndoni youths to remain calm, even, in the midst of neglect, marginalization, and abandonment, uncaring attitudes of leaders against the good of the people, in terms of distribution of even development projects to the people. She assured that governments, this time around, will rise to the challenges facing the people, as they were expected to provide succour to development difficulties bothering the people, blessed with natural resources, as endowed by God Almighty for their upliftment. She added by pleading with the leaders, to urgently rehabilitate Ndoni schools, while tertiary institutions are expected to be sited in the area, as according to her, such when put in place, will bring lasting open- doors for better tomorrow.
