• Pays common entrance fees for pupils
Toyosi Akure Foundation (TAF), based in America, has urged President Bola Tinubu to make the primary education sector a top priority, as the future of the country depends on it.
TAF founder, Toyosi Akure, gave the charge at the flag-off of the payment of common entrance examination fees for primary six students in Yagba West Local Council of Kogi State, and inauguration of the implementation committee.
Akure, a businessman and philanthropist, said Nigeria faces huge challenges in reforming its education sector, and urged Tinubu to pay more than a passing interest in the improvement and funding of the sector, especially primary education.
Although primary education is controlled by the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) of the various states, funding is the responsibility of the federal, states and local governments.
He said while access to education has expanded over the last 25 years, a 2022 United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) report showed that 20 million Nigerians are not enrolled in school, while many young people are still not learning what they need to thrive now and in the future.
He warned that if the current trend continues, one-third of young people would lack basic proficiency in reading, be unemployable and unproductive.
While calling on the president to make education funding a priority, Akure recalled the first republic era of Chief Obafemi Awolowo in the old south west region when 30 per cent of the budget went to education.
“Sadly, primary school education has been under serious financial pressure and unstable governance till today. In addition are the challenges of inadequate human and material resources, over-crowded classrooms in urban schools, poor maintenance, poor supervision, and poor learning environment,” he said.
He, however, acknowledged that given the current economic realities, the government alone cannot fund the sector and advocated Public Private Partnership (PPP) to fill the gap.
Akure said the decision to pay examinations fees for primary school pupils by his foundation, was propelled by the popular saying that “education is the best legacy that can be given to a child.”
“It does not only lay the foundation for other levels of education, but also the fulcrum of the socio-political and economic advancement of a nation.
He assured that his foundation would make it a duty to pay the examination fees yearly for all primary school pupils in the council area.
