Kenya urges youth to emulate Obama by realizing dreams

Source: Xinhua | 11-06-2008 10:34

NAIROBI, Nov. 5 (Xinhua) -- Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki on Wednesday called on the youth to emulate U.S. President-elect Barrack Obama by embracing education in order to realize their dreams.

Kibaki noted that Obama has made tremendous achievements and reached where he is today because of his determination, hard work and positive attitude in embracing education as a critical life tool.

"We welcome the new development in the United States and believe that, as Africans, President-elect Obama has given us a real boost," Kibaki said.

Kibaki pointed out that the young Obama took his education seriously and was not side-tracked by life challenges.

Speaking in Nairobi when he officially opened the African Regional Preparatory Conference for the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)'s Sixth International Conference on Adult Education, Kibaki reiterated that his government considers education as a basic right for all its citizens and a prerequisite for sustainable, economic and social development.

"Towards realizing this basic right, we have over the last six years introduced reforms in our education sector aimed at improving access, equity and quality education," Kibaki said.

The president said that his government has implemented Free Primary Education Program since 2003 as a measure of commitment towards achieving the Millennium Development Goal of education for all.

"This program has seen enrolment in primary schools rise from 5.9 million children to 8.2 million currently. Further, to ensure sustainable youth education, we introduced Free Secondary School tuition from January this year," he said.

Kibaki expressed optimism that with such elaborate measures in place, adult illiteracy would be eliminated in the near future, adding that increased places in institutions of higher learning will enable many secondary school graduates to access tertiary and university education.