The importance of education to human beings cannot be over emphasized. Education has been defined as all efforts, conscious and direct, incidental and indirect, made by a given society to accomplish certain objectives that are considered desirable in terms of the individual’s own needs as well as the needs of the society where that education is based.[i] At the outset, it is important to point out that education goes beyond schooling. But schooling at all levels help to achieve the purpose of education.
Education is a human right that should be accorded to all human beings solely by reason of being human. There are a lot of international human rights instruments that provide for education as a fundamental human right. These include the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948), the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (1966), the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (1981) and the Child Rights Act. The relationship between education and development is well established such that education is a key index of development. It has been documented that schooling improves productivity, health and reduces negative features of life such as child labour as well as bringing about empowerment.[ii] It has been shown that education opens the door for all citizens to participate in development activities and when citizens are denied education, they are excluded from the development process, which in turn puts them at a disadvantage vis-à-vis their compatriots with the benefit of education.[iii] This is why there has been a lot of emphasis particularly in recent times for all citizens of the world to have access to basic education of good quality.
[i] Fanfuwa, A. B. (2003), Nigerian Education: Yesteryears, Now and the Future” in Abayomi, F., Atilade, D. and Matswamgbe, M. (Eds), State of Education in Nigeria: What Hope for the Future? Lagos, Ajasin Foundation.
[ii] EFA Global Monitoring Report (2002), Education for All: Is the World on Track. Paris, UNESCO
[iii] ActionAid International Nigeria (2005), Education for Change: Based on Research on Accountability, Transformation & Mobilization in Nigerian Education. Abuja, ActionAid International Nigeria.
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Dr. Otive Igbuzor is a Pharmacist, Human Rights Activist, Policy Analyst, Development Expert, and author who is a reader’s delight. His authored works are always enchanting, interesting and yet very impactful. His books have been instrumental to building a new breed of leaders capable of advancing Africa out of the woods of socio-economic and political decadence.
