However, while we should be delighted that we are the generation that dared to take the bold historic step, we also stand collectively indicted, vicariously at least, that this moment is taking place 36 years late in our existence as a state. Therefore, whatever, personal and group glory one stands to claim here today is significantly tainted by the unpardonable absence that had relegated us almost four decades behind history.
I am however, consoled, by the popular cliché that says it is better to be late than never. What we are witnessing today therefore, is not so much the making of history; but rather a history in the making and a historic opportunity to recommend ourselves for greatness and atone for years wasted and opportunities squandered. Like Aldox Housley said, “experience is not what happened to you, but rather, what you did with what happened to you.” In other words, the mere fact of siting down here today does not by itself recommend us for greatness. What would matter in the end, is what we are able to make of this unique opportunity.

Kwara Education Summit, 2003 represents an opportunity to mainstream the challenges of development and poverty reduction in our state on a sustainable level. Like I have said in different occasion, we cannot hope to achieve meaningful development or significant reduction in poverty in the future, if we do not begin today to devise sustainable strategies for building a broad portfolio of assets in the individual that would not only expand the frontiers of opportunities available to them, but also equip them to take full advantage of those opportunities.

Towards the end of 2000, the United Nations made a declaration committing itself to the task of eliminating extreme poverty and hunger by the year 2015. All other elements of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs): universal primary education, gender equality and empowerment of women; child mortality; maternal health; HIV/AIDS; malaria and other diseases; environmental sustainability and so on, are all organically connected to the problem of poverty and the task of “reducing inequality within and among nations.”

It seems to me however, that the most fundamental approach to attaining these goals and its various concomitants, has to be through education, not only in terms of the number of people we are taking through schools, but more importantly, in terms of the quality and relevance of teaching and learning that obtain in our schools.

As our national economy came under severe threat and governance institutions and structures atrophied over the years, our educational system also went into a free fall. I believe everyone in this is all too familiar with the state of our educational system that it hardly requires any recap by me.

However, as we embark on the gradual process of rejuvenating our economy and rebuilding governance institutions at all levels, we must earnestly priorities the task of reviving our educational system that has been gravely suffered over the years. In doing this, we must devise new ways of defining standards of education beyond mere numerical enrolments and school attendance. We must build for ourselves an educational system that answers to the demands and realities of the labour markets up to the global level.

Therefore, ladies and gentlemen, what we are gathered here to do this morning is not a mere intellectual exercise, even though it requires all the intellect that we can muster. Rather, it is a historic task that demands from us, practical and workable strategies and solutions to the myriads of problems confronting our educational sector.

We are familiar with all the infrastructural inadequacies: lack of furniture and requisite books; lack of laboratory equipment and inadequate classrooms; lack of vehicles and teachers, and so on. These are serious problems that deserve serious attentions. However, addressing these needs alone would not lead us to the desired results if we don't deal with the fundamental issues of structures, policies, behaviours and attitudes both on the side of government, school administrators and managers, parents and teachers alike. This is why the summit addresses itself to the core areas that we expect will lead us to the kind of solutions that we want.

The issue of management and administration of schools; funding and financing education; quality of teaching and teachers; vocational, technical and special education; local and indigenous education; and the wide gap between public and primary schools form the core thematic areas of this summit. Today we have brought together a broad constellation of stakeholders at all levels, who are familiar with all these issues and it is my belief that you will all bring your insight and experience to bear on these issues, thereby enriching what would eventually be translated into policy document for this government in the area of education. Like I have said earlier, my government is committed to strengthening people's voice and broadening the democratic space for participation in public policy governance. This forum is another testimony to this commitment, and I urge you all to take full advantage of it.

I must thank everyone who has taken time to partner with us today in this great service to our state. I must however, thank most especially our friends from the international development agencies, the Federal Government agencies and private sector organisations who have joined us today. I am aware that organisations like UNICEF, UNESCO and ETF have been doing a lot in the past, but I believe this is the time for us to strengthen the bond of partnership between the government in Kwara State and your organisations. It is only through synergy of efforts and resources that we can hope to achieve optimum results in the targets and objectives that I believe we all hold so much in common and so dear. This effort will not end with the summit. The summit will only provide the road map. The journey continues in the days after. I want to invite you to be part of this journey to the glorious future that we all envision for our children.

Distinguished ladies and gentlemen, I will like to end this address by repeating a very sobering but hardly surprising information that I picked up recently. A couple of months ago, I was reliably informed that all the secondary schools in Kwara State combined do not account for up to 10% of intakes into the university of Ilorin. The reason, I understand, is because our candidates cannot pass the requisite examinations.

The grim implication of this is that about 90% of our children are locked out of the opportunities that higher education offers, that is if we can extrapolate from the experience with the university of Ilorin. However, if we are able to leave this place with a clearly deliverable plans on how to improve this record of performance, we would not have wasted our time here this morning. I wish you all a happy deliberation.

Thank you and God bless.