President Muhammadu Buhari has called on global community for collaborative partnerships that build a framework of ideas and enable it position learners at the core of the national efforts to transform schooling.

Buhari made the call on Monday while speaking at Transforming Education Summit (Leaders Roundtable) organised on the margins of the 77th session of UN General Assembly.

Buhari said: “In transforming education, we must not erect borders. Where they exist, we must bring them down, as we have much to learn from each other.

“As we are aware, improving equitable and inclusive access to quality educational opportunities is germane to ensuring the full development of our societies.

“No country can develop beyond the capacity of its educational system.”

The President stated that it would be difficult to have a meaningful conversation around transforming the national education systems without transforming the teaching profession.

Buhari, however, called for more deliberations on efforts to expand innovations and research on teacher education and the professional development of teachers.

“The process of building a sustainable teacher supply chain to address the challenges of teacher shortages is important, and calls for global action.

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“Nigeria also wishes to reiterate the need for all Member States and stakeholders to address the systemic and structural issues that hamper access to quality education.

“It is only when we do this, that we can create a world truly fit for all, and where no one is left behind,” he stated.

President Buhari said utilising information technology as a teaching tool holds the promise of transforming and erasing the boundaries of learning and re-engineering how learning occurs within and outside the classroom.

Buhari further expressed optimism that bridging the digital divide would offer Nigeria opportunities to expand learning and transform the education system, even as the country build an ecosystem of knowledge, and a truly resilient society.

“Nigeria is restoring trust with its people, in order to provide safe learning environment and responsive services. That was why we were among the first to endorse the Safe Schools Declaration (SSD), while developing a national policy on school safety and security.

“Nigeria also hosted the 4th International Conference on Safe Schools Declaration in partnership with the African Union, Norway, Spain, Argentina and Global Coalition to Protect Education from Attack (GCPEA) in 2021,” he said.

President Buhari added that the implementation of the SSD has offered an avenue to address school safety in a broader context that now includes gender-based violence and the protection of girls from hazards that contribute to insecurity and violence.

The Star