ENUGU - Prof Christian Aneke, Provost and Founder, Ecumenical Institute of Education, Enugu, has called on Federal Government to refocus the country’s education toward achieving justice and developmental education.

Aneke made the call in Enugu at lecture titled: ‘’Education for the Development of Justice and Peace’’.

The lecture was held during the 22nd anniversary celebration of Catholic Institute for Development of Justice and Peace (CIDJAP).

“For Nigeria to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in education, the school curricula should be geared toward skill acquisition and empowerment of the citizenry with practical knowledge.

“If we cannot impart and guarantee the education of our young ones, it means the country’s future is bleak,” he said.

According to him, a situation where a graduate of computer science would be unable to boot a computer showed the level of decay in system.

“The government should equip our schools with the required infrastructure that can make Nigerian graduates self- reliant, ”he said.

The provost said employers of labour in the country should also de-emphasise paper qualifications and go for those that “could offer practically”.

Speaking, Prof Gabriel Agbasi, CIDJAP’s chairman urged churches to set up bodies to complement CIDJAP “ to help the less privileged”.

Earlier, Prof Obiora Ike, CIDJAP’s founder , said that the institute’s main objective was to fight for the less- privileged when their fundamental human rights were trampled upon.
He said that CIDJAP also empowered the poor through skill acquisition and attending to their healthcare needs.

“We assist the poor to go to school, get medicare and ensure that they are not maltreated unduly by the wealthy in the society,” he said.

Obiora said CIDJAP was not asking any government for monetary assistance, but to perform their constitutional duties to the people.

“Government is expected to provide good education, potable water, motorable roads and build well-equipped hospitals.

“The reverse is the case in Nigeria where public funds are diverted into personal accounts, ”he said.

Reports say that the anniversary started with a church service presided over by Rev. Father Calistus Onaga, a Vicar-General and Cathedral Administrator of Holy Ghost Catholic Cathedral, Enugu.