Education • Created January 25, 2018 02:00

Experts want better funding for education

Educationists have called on federal and state governments to increase budgetary allocations to the education sector in line with the recommendation of the United Nations. They made the call at an education summit organised by the Kogi State Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, in collaboration with Participation Initiative for Behavioral Change In Development and […]

Experts want better funding for education
Experts want better funding for education

Educationists have called on federal and state governments to increase budgetary allocations to the education sector in line with the recommendation of the United Nations.

They made the call at an education summit organised by the Kogi State Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, in collaboration with Participation Initiative for Behavioral Change In Development and ActionAid Nigeria (PIBCID-ACTIONAID), as part of activities to mark two years of Governor Yahaya Bello in office.

Former Vice Chancellor, Kwararafa University, Prof Yakubu Ochefu said governments and other stakeholders must invest heavily in education, stressing that it was not possible to use foreign aid to develop education system in Nigeria.

“Education needs adequate funding, even if it means shutting down 80 per cent of other variables to strengthen the sector. We must fund the education sector,” Ochefu said.

Profressor Marietu Tenuche, Dean, School of Post Graduate Studies, Kogi State University, said there should be a strategic plan for every level of education from primary to tertiary.

“Adequate resources should be generated to achieve those strategic plans. As stakeholders, we must rethink how education should be funded. We advise governments to allocate more funds to education according to UNESCO’s 26 per cent standard,” she said.

In his remarks, Governor Yahaya Bello, who was represented by his deputy, Mr Simon Achuba, said government would to make education a priority among the five areas of its “New Direction Blueprint”, adding that the government has achieved a lot in terms of infrastructure development in schools across the state.

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