Tuesday, 19th March 2024
To guardian.ng
Search

Atiku accuses states of posing greatest threat to education

By John Akubo and Kanayo Umeh, Abuja
06 December 2019   |   4:29 am
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar yesterday accused state governments of posing the “greatest threat to education as they divert funds allocated for the development of the sector.

Deputy Senate President, Ovie Omo-Agege (left), and former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, at the presentation of a paper by the latter to the Senate Committee on Tertiary Institutions and TETFUND during the public hearing on the proposed Modibo Adama University, Yola, Adamawa State (Establishment, etc) Bill 2019 for the conversion of MAUTECH to a conventional university at the National Assembly complex in Abuja …yesterday.

• Na’Abba tasks FG on reforms, revival of sector

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar yesterday accused state governments of posing the “greatest threat to education as they divert funds allocated for the development of the sector.”Speaking at a public hearing on the bills establishing Modibo Adamawa University Yola, Adamawa and the Federal University of Agriculture and Technology Funtua, Katsina State at the National Assembly complex in Abuja, he urged the Senate to immediately enact a law to penalise erring states. He alleged: “There is a threat in the sense that monies being given to states to develop education are being diverted.

“There is need for you (Senate) to enact a law in such a way that a particular state that refuses to deploy the funds earmarked for education is penalised.”He, however, commended the senators for pushing for the piece of legislation.

The Waziri Adamawa went on: “I feel moved by the plight of our teeming youths denied admission over the years by our inability to convert Adamawa University to a multi-disciplinary institution.“Nigeria’s population has quadrupled by 2016, as it will be the third largest population by 2050. We must then invest in education.“Our population is putting immense pressure on public service and funds. We must then invest in education.”

According to him, the nation’s provision for education is at its lowest, noting: Figures from JAMB show a clear disparity between applicants and the number that eventually get admitted.”The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate in the February 23,2019 presidential election pointed out that about two thirds of applicants for tertiary education do not get admitted, leading to insecurity and poverty, both of which are “pronounced in the North East.”He further said: “Even when admissions are offered, it is more precarious for parents to send their children.

“Our advocacy for the conversion of the university of technology from a specialised university to a conventional university will push up enrolment for admission.”Abubakar noted that parents spend up to $1billion yearly to train their wards abroad.He expressed delight that the move would enable indigenes to access admission in specialised courses in an educationally disadvantaged state like Adamawa and reduce the gender gap.

Sponsor of the bill, Aisha Benani (Adamawa Central), recalling that she first made the move as member of seventh House of Representatives, stated: “The fascination that has kept us is the fact that the world is moving from mono disciplinary institutions to multi-disciplinary institutions.”

In a related development, erstwhile Speaker Ghali Na’Abba of the House of Representatives has urged the Federal Government to undertake urgent reforms for the transformation of the education sector.During the official opening of Waldorf Knoll Academy yesterday in Abuja, he regretted that the nation’s education infrastructure had for long been dilapidated.He said: “I believe that all the laws that are supposed to be in place for the improvement of Nigerian education sector are in place. What is important is for the executive arm to wake up to its responsibilities.”

0 Comments