| Minister of Education, Prof. Rufia |
At last,
those at the corridors of powers in the country may have listened to
lamentations of Nigerians on the need to pay priority attention to education
with the kind of budget allocated to education for this year, 2013.
This,
has also attracted what one of the respondents described as ‘priority applause’
after all, it attracted priority attention.
To this
end, this singular act of governments, especially at the Federal show that at
all levels the government want to change the negative effects of poor funding
in the standard of education in the nation.
DigitalSENSEBusiness News report that the result of poor funding has been the high number
of half-baked graduates in our society today; the many unqualified personnel in
the teaching profession and also the poor educational infrastructure in most of
our institutions, leaving the country disadvantaged in all ramifications.
The
National Policy on Education: section 13(120); “Education is an expensive
social service and requires adequate financial provision from all tiers of
government for successful implementation of the educational programmes.” To
conclude that failure of government at all levels over the years to adequately
fund education is a deliberate attempt to sabotage the successful
implementation of educational programmes is not out of place.
The United
Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and
Education International (E.I), both global union of teachers asserted that
“Education is an investment in the future of individuals and societies. On the
eve of 21st Century, the right to education is nothing more than the right to
participate in the life of modern world. Yet, while the importance of education
is more widely recognized today than ever before, those who play central role
in providing it, the 50 million teachers of the world are often overlooked and
taken for granted.
“World
Teachers Day, October 5 is dedicated to correcting this situation and
recognizing the devoted women and men on whom the education of our children
depends. Teachers are at the heart of educational process working today for
better schools and a better world.”
Corroborating
the assertion above, President, Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), Comrade
Michael Alogba Olukoya said recently that the theme of 2012 Teachers Day by
reference and all interpretation suggests a protest, an appeal and a clarion
call to all individuals, institutions, industries and government of nations and
their states to rise up and uplift the status of teachers and by extension the
standard of education.
Therefore,
in what looks like a response to this clarion call made by teachers who are
major players in the education sector and other stakeholders in the sector,
President Goodluck Jonathan made a swift move to address this public outcry
against poor funding for education in the 2013 budget.
Notable
was that President Jonathan during the 2013 budget presentation to the National
Assembly with
a theme: fiscal consolidation with inclusive growth, stated that
his administration will take seriously the education sector if the allocation to
education in the 2013 budget is anything to go by.
At the
floor of the National Assembly during the presentation the president pointed
out that his focus on critical economic and social sectors will continue.
“Our
focus on critical economic and social sectors continues. Some of these sectors
are largely driven by private sector activity, while others require a great
deal of public sector support. Some key allocations are as follows: Works –
N183.5 billion; Power - N74.26 billion; EDUCATION – N426.53 Billion; Health –
N279.23 billion; Defence –N348.91 billion; Police –N319.65 billion; and
Agriculture & Rural Development – N81.41 billion. The priority given to
education in the 2013 budgetary provision has received accolade from various
quarters in the country.
As many
said for the first time education is been accorded the priority it’s deserved
in the budget, though other still maintained pessimism while applauding the
government’s action. Their reasons were that over the years in Nigeria
budgetary provision were never implemented as provided and so they will wait to
see how the budget is approved in the first place and the eventual
implementation of the budget and see how it can translate to transformation of
the sector that has been neglected for many years.
Reacting,
the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III joined many
stakeholders in praising the Federal Government for giving education priority
in the 2013 budget presented to the National Assembly promising support for
every effort geared towards developing education.
“We as
partners in progress will always support every effort geared towards developing
education in the country. We urged a focus on technical and vocational
education to engage our youths,” he assured. While other stakeholders say is
too early to praise the move even though it is a right step in the right
direction.
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