Former Kwara governorship aspirant, Pastor Engineer Sunday Adebayo Babalola, has called on both the Kwara State and Federal Government to prioritize investment in education for the growth and development of the state and country.
Babalola made the appeal during the ninth edition of the scholarship program organized by the Bayo and Bunmi Babalola Foundation (BBBF) in Omu-Aran. The initiative aims to reduce the high number of out-of-school children in Nigeria.
The Bayo and Bunmi
Babalola Foundation (BBBF) is a non-governmental
organization founded and sponsored by Pastor Engineer Sunday
Adebayo Babalola and his Pastor Bunmi Babalola.
This scholarship initiative comes in light of alarming statistics from the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF), which reports that Nigeria has the highest number of out-of-school children in the world, totaling approximately 18.4 million.
The recipients include a diverse group of students across various educational levels: 204 tertiary students, 88 Senior Secondary School 3 (SS3) students, 66 Junior Secondary School 3 (JSS3) students, along with 254 students from Junior Secondary School 1 and 2 (JSS1 and JSS2) and Senior Secondary School 1 and 2 (SS1 and SS2).
The scholarship program comes amid concerning statistics from UNICEF, which reports that Nigeria has the highest number of out-of-school children globally, with approximately 18.4 million children affected.
Through the BBBF, Pastor Babalola and his wife, Pastor Bunmi Babalola, awarded scholarships to 621 students from tertiary institutions, senior secondary schools, and junior secondary schools.
In his speech at the event, Babalola emphasized the critical role of education in addressing insecurity and fostering societal growth.
He described education as a key strategy to combat issues such as kidnapping, cultism, armed robbery, and other violent crimes, highlighting that "an educated mind is refined and totally different from an illiterate."
"May I use this opportunity to reiterate my call on the federal and Kwara State Governments to invest more in education. No investment in education is ever lost. Education is the bedrock of societal growth, innovations, and technological breakthroughs," Babalola said. "There can be no meaningful societal development without quality, efficient, accessible, and affordable education."
He further criticized the inadequate learning infrastructure in many Nigerian schools, recalling how pupils are often taught under trees or in dilapidated classrooms, leaving both students and teachers exposed to the elements.
"Allowing our children and their teachers to be in such a horrible environment is not only exposing them to medical danger but also to mental torture," he added, stressing the need for improved educational facilities.
Babalola also underscored the importance of timely remuneration for teachers, particularly in light of Nigeria's current economic challenges.
"A well-motivated staff will produce better results," he said, while also urging the government to enhance security around educational institutions to protect students and staff from kidnappers, armed robbers, and other threats.
The Bayo and Bunmi Babalola Foundation has been actively involved in supporting education through its scholarship programs, contributing to the efforts to tackle Nigeria's education crisis.
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