…Holds Special Prayer Session
In commemoration of this year’s Children’s Day celebration, the Lagos State Universal Basic Education Board, LASUBEB, has called on parents and guardians to invest massively in both the academic and spiritual rejuvenation of their children.
Making this call during a special prayer session organised in commemoration of the 2020 edition of the International Day for the Children, the Chairman of LASUBEB, Hon. Wahab Alawiye-King, stated that academic excellence through spiritual rebirth was needed to succeed in life.
He said that the present situation across the world that had made it difficult for school children to gather for learning or for celebration needs spiritual intervention, hence the decision of the Board to hold the special prayer session.
Alawiye-King said, “This prayer session is a spiritual investment in the future of our children. It is our fervent belief and prayer that this pandemic ends soon. We hope that our children, for whom we have organized this, feel appreciated and celebrated.”
Encouraging the children to also adhere to all measures needed to keep COVID-19 pandemic at bay; such as the observance of physical social distancing, the use of face masks, proper washing of their hands as well as good hygiene practices, the LASUBEB chairman maintained that it was imperative for parents and guardians to know that investment in the future of school children cannot be handled by the government alone.
He added, “There is need for strong collaboration with NGO’s, corporate organisations and well-meaning individuals for the provision of free, compulsory, accessible and qualitative basic education. I seize this opportunity to appreciate those who have contributed to this cause.”
Reiterating the expectation of the state government that normalcy returns to the education sector as soon as possible, Alawiye-King averred that though the world is at a standstill because of the novel coronavirus pandemic, the Lagos State government has maintained a constant teaching and learning connection with the state school pupils.
He said that “in order to ensure that our pupils do not lose touch with their academics, despite the lockdown, a programme tagged: ‘The Classroom In Your Home’ was introduced by the state government as an expansion of our existing interactive radio instruction programme. This is aired on Lagos Television three times a week to keep the children engaged and learning.
The Islamic cleric invited for the special prayer session, Dr. Abdulgarfar Kukoyi, admonished the children to run away from indiscipline; be patient, and humble; evennas also admonished them not waste their time; just the Christian cleric who offered Christian prayers, Dr. Akinnusi Felix, encouraged parents and guardians to invest in their children by giving them quality education, even as he admonished to enrol their children/wards in schools near their homes.
After the special prayers, the Board did symbolic enrolment of some children into ECCDE and Primary One.
Alawiye-King expressed profound appreciation to the state governor, Mr. Babajide Olusola Sanwoolu, his Deputy, Dr. Kadiri Obafemi Hamzat, the honourable Commissioner for Education, Mrs. Folasade Adefisayo, Board members and Secretary, and all other relevant stakeholders in the education sector, whose continual supports make the state’s education sector a model to emulate by other states.
