Malala Urges Osinbajo To Declare A State Of Emergency On Education

The Acting President, Yemi Osinbajo met with Pakistani activist, Malala Yousafzai on July 17. The meeting happened behind closed doors but speaking with journalists, Malala and Osinbajo talked about education.

On October 9, 2012, Malala was shot by a Taliban gunman after speaking up for the right of a girl child to be educated, and the incident drew the world’s attention. On July 2014, she visited Nigeria and met with then president, Goodluck Jonathan, during the Chibok girls campaign.

Speaking with journalists after meeting with Osinbajo, Malala said she spoke on the importance of educating boys and girls in all states. According to Punch, she said:

“It was a very good meeting. I had very good response. I highlighted a few issues. The first was to ask the government to declare a state of emergency in the nation’s education sector because the education of the Nigerian girls and boys is really important.

The Federal Government, state governments and local governments should all be united for this.

Secondly, the spending should be made public and thirdly, the Child Rights Act should be implemented in all states.

I was really happy to hear positive response from the Acting President that they are happy with the suggestion of implementing emergency in education and that they are happy to work more on education and that they are united.

I am happy to hear positive responses from the ministers as well that they are ensuring that education is prioritized for every girl and in every boy and education in Nigeria is given priority.”

Also speaking with journalists, Ziauddin Yousafzai, her father and co-founder of Malala Fund, said the vision of the Malala Fund was to ensure that every girl in the world gets quality, free education.

The Nigerian government is trying to take education more seriously. Over a year ago, Sokoto declared a state of emergency in the education sector, with a pledge to totally turn around its fortune in four years and the Federal Government is making plans to teach STEM subjects in local languages. It is a flawed sentiment but nonetheless a small step in the right direction. Quite honestly, there isn’t a single sector in Nigeria that doesn’t deserve state of emergency but education is paramount because it targets children and youth, ensuring the future of a nation.