Geingob and Zuriel
In March 2015, President Hage Geingob became the third president of the Republic of Namibia since independence. Among his mandate and focus area was the improvement of the country’s education system, prompting him to appoint two women to head the Ministry of Education.
Recognised as an influential global voice on education, Zuriel Oduwole met with her 18th world leader, President Geingob at the State House in Windhoek, as the president marked his first year in office. Their discussion centered on the various ways education could be brought to the underserved across Africa, including informal education.
Having given her first policy speech on education in London at age 11, Zuriel identified areas she believed can impact Africa’s education development. She then spent a day conducting her first ever film workshop for youths in Namibia, teaching them basic editing skills as well as film-making processes.
She believes education is more than just formal subjects like English, History, Science, Algebra and the likes, but anything that equips and empowers one to be a productive member of the society. Her audience who were mostly in their 20s, were well beyond formal traditional classroom age.
An acclaimed film maker whose movies have been seen in cinema chains in Nigeria, and has also screened in London, Accra, Johannesburg and Tokyo – Japan, she continues to make the case for Girls Education in Africa, while telling the continents positive story to the rest of the world, via compelling films.Guardian