LASU VC birthday colloquium: Ogundipe harps on significance of educational equity

CHINYERE IKEANYI

The immediate past Vice-Chancellor of the University of Lagos (UNILAG) Akoka, Professor Oluwatoyin Ogundipe, has identified the significance of educational equity crucial for the evaluation, revision and re-planning of curriculum.

Prof. Ogundipe was speaking at the Colloquium for the 60^th birthday of Professor Ibiyemi Olatunji-Bello, the 9^th Vice-Chancellor of the Lagos State University (LASU) held at the Ojo Campus of the institution.

Delivering a paper on “Education: vision for the future”, Ogundipe said other significance of educational equity included: Social Justice; Economic Mobility; Workforce Readiness; and Democratic Society.

Stating that every learner deserves an equal chance to achieve, regardless of his or her background, the former VC said a route to economic mobility was through education, adding that: “Fair education has the capacity to end the cycle of poverty and give people access to better opportunities”.

He also stated that innovation and economic success depend on having a workforce that is diverse, well-­‐rounded, and prepared with a variety of skills and viewpoints, pointing out that a democracy cannot function well without an educated citizenry.

Quoting Pires, the ex-VC stated: “Critical thinking, well-­‐informed decision-­‐making, and civic involvement are all enhanced by education”.

On the challenges in re-planning education for the future, Ogundipe said: “Achieving an education fit for Nigeria is complicated and has many challenges” including: Resource Allocation; Implicit Bias; Workforce Readiness; Cultural Competency; Data Collection and Analysis; and Community Engagement.

According to him, it can be difficult to distribute resources to schools and students fairly, particularly in the face of the current economic meltdown, adding that teachers’ and administrators’ implicit prejudices can affect academic expectations, student tracking, and discipline, which can result in unfair treatment.

He also said equity depended on recognizing and meeting the language and cultural requirements of diverse student populations; adding: “To effectively detect and address inequities, robust data collection and analysis are necessary”.

Ogundipe further said for the future of education in Nigeria to be properly shaped, several means can be used to close the gap and advance educational equity, including: equitable financing; high expectations for all; early childhood education; targeted support; data-­‐driven decision-­‐making; and Neighbourhood Partnerships including families and working with neighbourhood organizations can strengthen initiatives to close the opportunity gap.

“It is critical to update financing arrangements to guarantee that schools in underprivileged communities have enough resources.Varied and culturally competent team: Having a teaching team that is both varied and culturally competent can help to foster a welcoming and encouraging learning environment.

“It is critical to have high academic standards for all children, irrespective of their background. Disparities in learners preparedness for school can be addressed by funding high-­‐quality early childhood education. Extra assistance and resources should be offered to learners who require them, such as English language learners or learners with impairments. One of the most important strategies for attaining fairness is the use of data to spot gaps and guide choices”, Ogundipe further said.

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