The National Commission for Museums and Monuments, Owerri, Omo State, recently, organized lectures and exhibitions to mark this year’s celebration of the International Day for Monuments and Sites, with the theme, “Heritage of Education.”
The day, set aside by UNESCO to draw attention on the need to preserve and protect monuments and sites worldwide, was proposed by the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS), on 18th April, 1992, and approved by the General Assembly of United Nation Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), in 1993, and it aims at promoting awareness about the diversity of and vulnerability of the World’s built monuments and heritage sites and the efforts required to protect and conserve them.
In her remark, the Curator of National Commission for Museums and Monuments (NCMM), Owerri, Mrs. Chioba Francisca Uboh, highlighted the importance of this year’s theme, “Heritage of Education,” with emphasis on built heritage that have contributed to the development of education through various forms of learning and academic archival institutions, such as schools, universities, libraries, academies, and others, in its various expressions of different geo-cultural contexts.
She added that stakeholders should disabuse their minds that intellectual achievements and success could be recorded without recourse to the built heritages, a situation she attributed to negligence, which had engendered the proliferation of private schools in all the nooks and crannies of the country.
In a lecture, titled, Heritage of Education: A Study in Retrospect, the Public Relations Officer of NCMM, Owerri, Mr. Chamberlin Nwosu, explored the indispensible nature of heritage education and its invaluable contributions to societal development, taking the audience down memory lane, and reflecting on the glorious days of such built heritage.
Declaring open the Temporary Exhibition/Activity Hall of NCMM, Owerri, tagged, “Icons of Education,” the Zonal Coordinator, National Institution for Cultural Orientation (NICO), Mrs. Chioma Duru, expressed dismay over the neglect of public schools, which are dilapidated, unkempt and in varied states of decay, and blamed the misplaced priorities of government that produce educational policies and programmes, while neglecting the structures.
According to her, it was tragic because these disreputable structures provided roots that have produced renowned leaders, who can bring about the desired changes and restore the lost glories of these schools through “Old Boys/Girls” activities.
Cutting the tape, Mrs. Duru said the mutually beneficial relationship between NICO South-East and National Museum, Owerri, is evident in her attendance of the event with key officers of the zonal office.
Humphrey C. Ejiogu
Corporate Affairs Unit
NICO South-East Zone