Senior Nigerian Shia Cleric: "Children Must be Properly Educated"

(Ahlul Bayt News Agency) - The Leader of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria Sheikh Ibraheem Zakzaky delivered a closing lecture of Teacher workshop which took place in Zaria on Thursday the 15th of August 2013.The five day program as attended by large number of the Head masters  and teachers. The Workshop was organized by The Committee of Teachers and Training  headed by Mallam Abdurahman Yola. Its aim is to train those who will train others in their respective zones.  74 representatives attended the workshop , and the following is the communique after the workshop:1.       Encouraging People to send Children to Fudiyyah Schools.2.       To provide opportunity for further studies for teachers up to PHD level.3.        Child moral training in Fudiyyah Schools.4.       Organizing seminars and workshop5.       Teachers, parents and general public should be encouraged towards assisting the schools6.       Trust.The Leader of the  Islamic movement in Nigeria Sheikh Ibraheem Zakzaky delivered the closing speech at Husainiyyah Baqiyyatullah Zaria on Thursday the 15ht of August 2013.. After normal salutation, the leader started by commenting on the Workshop which he said is for professional  in the areas of Teaching and Training where  they presented different papers of various topics in Education, and as such he would only make a general statement.The Leader made an introduction on Child in the Modern World. He said this Era is an era of ever-increasing changes and transformation-changes which affect  people too.  The era for the present child is different from the childhood of a man of 50 years, and as such things should not be imposed upon children as they their era is quite different. Present day child understands thing for quickly due to improved in modern ways of impacting knowledge.Citing example in terms of progress in other countries, the Leader said the rate of progress  in Education is faster and more improved than the one obtained here where many things are lacking to the extent that Moral training and educational system  is on the verge of total collapse .And, the so called leaders are only concern with the Education and welfare of their children. Not only that , for  Ignorance being a weapon, the leader are eager to bring the education to naught. Thereby leaving the masses without education in order to keep ruling over them.  There was a time a Military Officer was made a university sole administrator!Knowledge is an enemy to these Rulers, as they see it as threat because it makes person civilized. In other part of the world, pious, educated and those who have concern for their citizens only become the leaders. Thus, here education is just a name.  The Education Allocation only goes to the pockets of individuals thus leaving the public in ignorance.The Leader spoke on aspects of Education in the following areas:a.       Children and their Educationb.      Teachers and Teaching Methodsc.       Teaching materialsd.      Learning environmentChild EducationHere we have oil and human resources but of no much benefit to the masses. Eg in India, the Country’s income from software development by their teeming students  is greater than oil income to Nigeria because of the countries effort and concern toward Education.Here the interest of the Masses is not the matter. The leaders’ concern is their welfare and that of their families and thus they turn to looting the Nation wealth.  The situation could have been different if the  Authority does as much as it can on Education,  then Private Bodies can come in to complement, in a situation whereby the task becomes difficult for the Authority. However, that is not the case.Rating a child in terms of Education and performance prove difficult as the examining bodies don’t even conduct marking.  Marks are just given to students even on subject they do not sit for exams.  Due to rot in Education, now people send their children to Ghana and Cotonou for elementary education.Sheikh Spoke on Teacher TrainingThe alarming situation seems lacking solution amidst increasing number of children without a plan to cater for their education needs.  Going by the number of children we need many things in terms of  human and educational  resources.  In countries like Iran they gave emphasis on Teacher Training and they even have Teacher Training Colleges (TTC) where people attain  after graduating,  unlike here where methodology  is taught at early stage. Here we don’t have such a system where graduates learn methodology to prepare them for teaching after they graduate.On teaching Materials and  conducive learning environment, the Sheikh said  they are lacking as children sit on floor in a noisy environment without standard teaching materials. One can one see over 100 children in a class sitting on the floor.On the role of parents, the Sheikh said their role is important especially  in terms of  comes to feeding, clothing. He said Children are trust and as such must be taken care of in terms of their education, training, feeding, dresses and neatness etc..  On Education Curriculum he said, we have to make sure we have the same curriculum in our Fudiyyah Schools nationwide.Likewise the level of teachers must almost be the same which is the reason for organizing this workshop. Going by the dynamic nature of things, teaching methods shall not be left out and as such even graduates ought to improve their teaching methods through attending this type of workshop.On Teachers the Sheikh Said We are blessed with committed teachers who don’t even go strike. They are committed to the teaching in our Schools with little or no pay.On Learning materials, he explained that both Brothers and Parents should assist in this regard. Learning materials must be provided enough for Progress. By nature child is created for different stages. And at each stage it is supposed to be taught a particular level of knowledge up to its  adolescent stage. Child should not subjected to labor  for it to get  what is expected at each of its developmental stages.We must do our best in children education, even if we cannot reach to pick due to our limitation couple with the situation we find ourselves.  A situation imposed upon the masses by Leaders whose only concern  is how to amass wealth  or attain leadership position. These type of people who don’t even know why they came to world.He concluded by offering closing prayer./129