IELPN Maps Out Robust Strategy To Tackle Challenges Bedeviling Education In Nigeria

IELPN Maps Out Robust Strategy To Tackle Challenges Bedeviling Education In Nigeria

By Our Reporter

The Institute of Educational Leadership Practitioners of Nigeria, says it is mapping out innovative solutions to address the challenges facing the education sector in Nigeria as it calls for papers ahead of this year’s international conference of the institute.

This is as the institute is planning to host its annual conference on August 14th and 15th 2024, to create a robust networking with professionals, strengthen relationships and form efficient collaboration that will engender productive reforms in education.

Speaking at a press briefing in Abuja on Wednesday, ahead of the conference, the Registrar and Chief Executive Officer, Institute of Educational Leadership Practitioners of Nigeria, IELPN, Dr. Taiwo Olufunmilayo Olusa, said the highlights of the event would include, keynote speeches by renown educational leaders, panel discussion, workshop and training, amongst others.

“The highlights of the event include keynote speeches. We are honoured to have renowned educational leaders and innovators who will deliver the keynote speeches. Their insight will set the stage for dynamic discussion and learning. We will also have a panel discussion.

“The panel discussion will cover a range of topics including policy development, educational technology, and effective leadership practices. Workshop and training will also come up. The workshop and training will provide participants with practical skills and strategies that they can implement in their educational environment. Paper presentations will also be featured.

“Research practitioners from around the world will present their latest findings; offering fresh perspectives and approaches to education.

“Exhibition will also be one of the features. The conference will feature an exhibition area where educational tools, resources and technologies will be showcased. This is an excellent opportunity for participants to explore new products and services that can enhance their work. It will also enhance the visibility of such a company as many participants will want to patronize them.

“There will be networking opportunities. Participants will have numerous opportunities to network with peers, build professional relationships and form collaboration that can lead to meaningful advancement in education.

“There will be an induction of new members. We will also be inducting new members into the Institute of Educational Leadership of Nigeria.

“This is a momentous occasion that celebrates the growth and expansion of our community. This is a call to action. I encourage all educators, policy makers, administrators and stakeholders in the education sector to register and participate in this year’s conference.

“The early bird registration is closed but we still have the advantage to explore the new registration. There will be registration till the day of the conference. So please take advantage of the opportunity. The deadline for our abstract submission is August 10th 2024 and we welcome contributions that are in line with our conference theme. We have various conference themes; from the project base and exponential level, expository critical thinking/problem solving, mindfulness and wellbeing in education and equity/inclusion in education.

“We will also be talking about the ethical world, leadership in education, adaptive learning technology, assessment for level education/ advocacy and many more.

“We will also be inviting businesses and organizations to exhibit their products and services. This is an excellent platform to reach the target audience of educational professionals,” said the Registrar, Dr. Taiwo Olufunmilayo Olusa.

Also speaking, the Chairman, Planning Committee, Rotimi Jiboku, said the conference which is taking place at the National Universities Commission, NUC’s auditorium, expects participants from all over the federation to fine-tune ways on how to advance education in Nigeria.

“The conference is taking place at the National Universities Commission in Maitama, Abuja and it’s on 14th and 15th. The 14th is the opening ceremony. We will have a goodwill message from the Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission. We will also have other affiliate institutions that are going to be present that will give different speeches in different areas. We are expecting participants from all over the federation. We have different contingents already making arrangements for them to travel to Abuja for the conference.

“We are also expecting even within Abuja here different educators in different institutions of higher learning, colleges of education, secondary schools, primary schools and early years all taking advantage of the different sub-themes that have been identified for the conference. It’s an annual conference, so we expect that those within the vicinity of Abuja will be able to take advantage of that. Last year, the conference was held in Port Har-Court in River State. So this year, it’s the turn of Abuja. We expect as many as possible people that are interested in discussing and looking at how to move education forward in Nigeria that is the purpose of the conference. We are looking at what else we can do. If you look at the theme itself, its revolutionising education, harnessing innovative pedagogies and leadership for 21th century children.

“Everything is for the children we have in the education sector, whether the children are in early years, nursery, primary, secondary or the high institutions. Everything is targeted towards ensuring that children benefit maximally from the conference. Everything we are going to talk about is for the benefit of the children. We are looking at Nigeria as a big project because Nigeria is a big country where we have different educational institutions. We are expecting that our colleagues in the educational sector will come around and we will discuss very robustly about the future of education in Nigeria especially how to ensure that Nigeria continues to have a pride of place in the comity of nations. Nigeria has a reputation of placing the trail anywhere they go. We also expect that this is going to help our educational sector in order to also make sure we contribute our own input towards the sector in Nigeria. Apart from that, we also have the fact that a lot of professionals are going to be around so networking is part of the target for the conference,” the Chairman, Planning Committee, Rotimi Jiboku added.

For his part, a Member of the organising committee, James Udele, said the registration processes for the conference is seamless, adding that the event will be all-inclusive as it accommodates participants from all works of life to come and unlearn and relearn towards revolutionizing education in Nigeria.

The theme of the Institute of Educational Leadership Practitioners of Nigeria’s national conference 2024 is: Revolutionising Education: Harnessing Pedagogies and Leadership for 21st-Century Students.