BY UBON EKANEM, CALABAR – The Federal Government must urgently initiate economic measures to cushion the adverse impact of Coronavirus (COVID-19) on the nation’s educational system.
This appeal is based on UNESCO’s timely warning that the pandemic has caused the single largest disruption of global educational system in history and regional governments should think out of the box to address the emerging challenges.
Chairman of Governing Board Centre for Gender and Women Studies, University of Uyo in Akwa Ibom State, Professor Comfort Ekpo, said available statistics indicate that about 23 million youths may not have access to learning due to the pandemic’s economic impact globally.
Delivering the Convocation Lecture at the World Harvest Bible College and Seminary in Calabar, she stated that the raging health crisis is already exacerbating pre-existing educational disparities among vulnerable persons.
The Lecture titled: “Theological Education and the Challenges of Today’s Pandemic” was part of the ceremony marking the 24th/25th convocation ceremony of the World Harvest Bible College & Seminary.
She said the pandemic has produced triple effects going beyond the educational sector, with visible signs of global food insecurity, alongside social violence due to increasing hunger and economic instability across the world.
The University don therefore challenged the Federal Government to commence a stock-taking process towards obtaining accurate data that would aid whatever proactive measures it may introduce to combat economic losses amid serious decline in the citizens’ purchasing power.
According to her Coronavirus is a major pathogen that primarily targets the human upper and lower respiratory system and the most reliable diagnostic approach still remain collecting specimens from the upper and lower respiratory tract for molecular test, which may also include serology laboratory examination.
In his remarks, the College Provost Professor Aniefiok Akpabio said the institution’s affiliation to the University of Calabar is an added impetus to the quality of graduates passing through the institution.
Also speaking, the President and Chancellor of the College, Reverend Dr Nick Eze solicited government support, noting that the institution is playing a vital role in shaping the character and attitudinal upbringing of most Nigerians.
Rev Eze, who is the General Overseer of Christ for the World Mission, said the aim of the College is to produce Ministers of God that would preach the word without dilluting the gospel with human knowledge.
Since its inception in 1992, the World Harvest Bible College and Seminary, has produced about 994 graduands, including the current 24/25 graduating set of 71 students
