The Finland Ambassador to Nigeria, Ms Anneli Vuorinen, has said there was a need for political leaders and authorities in education to create a good environment for the education sector.
She said this when she delivered a lecture at the University of Education, Winneba (UEW) on the topic “Investing in education and Gender Equality for Sustainable Development, experience from Finland".
She said in other to sustain development, education and gender equality should be an integral part of nation building which will help to diversify the economy and raise living standards.
The Ambassador advised all, especially educational practitioners, to consider education as one of the most significant sectors for nation building.
She said Finland had always seen education as the key to surviving and thriving in an increasingly competitive world.
Ms Vuorinen emphasized the need for tertiary institutions in the country to provide training aimed at high-level professional skills to meet the requirements of manpower needs of the nation.
"One of the important principles underlining the sustainability in education is to offer equal opportunities for all school going children, irrespective of sex, economic situation or linguistic and cultural background," she said.
Ms Vuorinen called on political leaders and all who matter in ensuring effective delivery of education to guarantee equal rights to education to young people, especially people with disabilities.
If a student is falling behind his or her class or is facing learning difficulties, the school should be counselling and offer special personal support, while at the same time keeping all pupils integrated in the school.
She said education systems should be made to put lots of emphasis on the well-being of students and pupil-centered teaching, adding that this should reflect in the curriculum guidelines and hopefully allow students to feel joy and success in their studies.
The Pro Vice-Chancellor, Professor Mawutor Avoke who chaired the programme, expressed the University's preparedness to welcome linkages and exchange of programmes between UEW and some of the Universities in Finland.