Government seeks support on $1. 8 billion to recruit teachers

The Federal Government has expressed its readiness to partner non-state actors on the $1. 8billion the country needs annually to recruit teachers. Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu at the 61st National Council on Education (NCE) meeting in Abuja said considering Nigeria’s situation, with the highest out-of-school children, calls for non-state actors to support education financing had become relevant.

According to Adamu government needs to devise innovative approaches and explore new partnerships with the private sector, development partners and civil society organisations to support the training of new and established teachers.

Also, Minister of State, Professor Anthony Gozie Anwukah suggested that a dateline be set for teachers to register with the registration council or be eased out of classrooms.

Recently, Project Coordinator of the Education Sector Investment Promotion Initiative, Arete-Zoe Affiong Amana had urged the Federal Government to consider alternative options for the financing of education in Nigeria.

She noted in an interview with journalists that with the challenges facing education in the country today, it is important that funding education should not depend solely on allocations from government anymore.

She therefore suggested that alternative sources from countries whose education sectors are sound should be considered.Also, scholarships from multinational companies such as Shell, as well as from other governments such as those offered by the British Council, among others should be explored to educate young Nigerians.

Amana said that the school buildings constructed in the 80s are the same after 31 years. This shouldn’t be so. Tell me who wears the same clothes for 31 years or who is it that lives in the same building for 31 years without repainting it?

Amana commended the strategic plan of the Minister of Education, Malam Adamu on the Education for Change initiative. She pointed out that cost must be put to all the projections so that it would be clear to Nigerians how the goals would be funded, and to assure Nigerians that the goals are achievable.

She noted that the ministry should work with investors to fund the goals because of the situation where 1.5 million people write Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) every year with just 20 per cent capacity for admission.

She listed avenues of innovative financing to include corporate tax rebates, development of special lottery, diaspora bonds, debt swaps, voluntary consumer contribution schemes and education vouchers.