You can't Determine Progress Of Edo State Education Inside Situation Room NGO Chides World Bank
By Editor
The Coalition for Good Governance and Economic Justice in Africa has lampooned Bretton Woods institutions saying they are part of the problems faced by developing nations.
Besides, the group stated that it’s a shame for the World Bank to assess the progress and impact of Governor Godwin Obaseki’s education reforms inside a Situation Room instead of conducting on-the-spot visits to schools in the villages across the 18 local government areas.
The group in a statement in Benin City argued that the World Bank’s approach of accessing the progress and impact of Governor Obaseki’s Edo Basic Education Sector and Skills Transformation (EdoBESST) Programme through a Situation Room in one of the government offices reflects laziness and reveals how Bretton Woods institutions have encouraged corruption and underdevelopment in developing nations, including Edo State.
The group was reacting to a report by World Bank delegation led by the Bank’s Education Economist, Martín De Simone who was on a 4-day working visit to the State.
According to Martín De Simone, “We are particularly pleased that the data before us shows that there is improvement in the basic education system since the implementation of reform in various areas, including the performance of the pupils in the state-owned primary school system.”
It was learnt that after the team visited the situation room situated at Block B, State Secretariat at Sapele Road in Benin City, Martín commended the Governor Godwin Obaseki-led administration for creating the facility where activities of the programme are monitored.
But the NGO in a statement signed by Mr. Steven Adepoju said the World Bank should stop allowing Governor Obaseki to rubbish its world view reputation by sitting inside government office to access the progress of education in the state. This is sheer laziness to say the least.
The statement said, “Buildings and physical infrastructure are indeed crucial components of educational performance and are essential for creating conducive learning environments. While the World Bank report focused primarily on the reforms, achievements, and programmatic aspects of the education sector, it’s important to acknowledge the role of infrastructure in supporting educational outcomes.
“Physical infrastructure such as school buildings, classrooms, libraries, laboratories, playgrounds, and sanitation facilities are vital for providing safe, comfortable, and functional learning spaces. Adequate infrastructure can enhance student engagement, facilitate effective teaching practices, and contribute to overall academic performance but this is not the case in our schools in Edo state but the World Bank feels satisfied.
“Additionally, investments in infrastructure demonstrate a commitment to education and can have long-term benefits for communities, including increased enrollment, retention, and educational attainment. Therefore, it’s important for educational reports and evaluations to also consider and highlight improvements in physical infrastructure as part of the broader efforts to enhance educational performance and not just situation rooms with data imputed on the systems by government agents whereas dilapidated schools dots the nooks and crannies of the state.
“This one-sided perspective has not provided a complete picture of the situation. The report mentioned that the World Bank delegation visited the situation room and held meetings with government officials but it doesn’t provide details about the scope or methodology of the evaluation. Without this information, it’s difficult to assess the rigor and comprehensiveness of the assessment.
“For the World Bank to do a thorough work, stakeholders who may have different perspectives on the effectiveness of the education reforms should have been given the opportunity to express themselves and they don’t reside inside government houses where you have Situation Rooms. Allowing diverse viewpoints would provide a more balanced and nuanced understanding of the situation but they failed.
“The report also quoted government officials praising their own initiatives and achievements, which may raise questions about objectivity and potential conflicts of interest, including perspectives from independent experts or external evaluators could mitigate this concern. We think the World Bank can do better except to accept the notion that Bretton Woods institutions are part of the problems of developing nations”, it stated.
