Two national unions in the education sector have appealed to the Federal Government to prioritise education by tackling issues of corruption, insecurity and other challenges.
Top officials of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) who spoke to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Lagos scored the performance of the President Muhammadu Buhari administration low in the education sector.
The National President of ASUU, Prof. Biodun Ogunyomi, said that until education is prioritised, efforts by the federal government in tackling the challenges of corruption and security might not yield the needed results.
Ogunyomi was accessing the current administration’s performance in the education sector, as it celebrates its second anniversary in office.
NAN reports that President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration came into office on May 29, 2015.
According to Ogunyomi, the administration is yet to reflect its campaign hype in the sector, as no remarkable difference has been noticed across all the tiers.
“Despite all our cries and protestations, we are not impressed as a union, whose primary interest is how to advance and develop our country.
“This administration has really not treated education as a priority.
“All its attention seems to be focused on security and fighting corruption.
“We should realise that it is only with the right quality of education that we can seamlessly address issues relating to security.
“With adequate investment in education, we can equally address issues relating to corruption and others that will transform the country’s economy,’’ the ASUU President said.
He said the union was worried by the constant reduction in budgetary allocation to the education sector.
According to him, there is no way any country would achieve greatness if its quality of education does not measure up with acceptable standards.
“What is happening in the education sector is gradually destroying the essence of the country’s well-being.
“In the past five years, successive administrations have given us the least allocation in education.
“It is a reflection of non-commitment and we are not comfortable with that.
“Take a look at the budget allocation to education in recent years; in 2014, it was 11 per cent; in 2015, it dropped to 8.7 per cent, and in 2016, it was six per cent.
“This 2017, after all the reviews, the allocation to education went down to 5.4 per cent.’’
But in its assessment, the NUT scored the administration’s performance in the education sector, in the past two years, on a 50-50 ratio.
Mr Michael Alogba-Olukoya, National President of NUT, told NAN that government still had a long way to go in terms of putting in place, all that was missing in the sector.
Alogba-Olukoya said government needed to reinvigorate its commitment to the educational development as “there are still lots of areas begging for urgent attention’’.
The union leader, however, commended the Minister of Education on moves to truly professionalise the teaching service.
He said the recent directive that all professional teachers must register with the Teachers Registration Council (TRC) was a positive step to raise the education standards.
“That is indeed a plus to this administration, the teaching profession should not be an all comers affair.
“With education in the concurrent list, I want to say the whole thing so far has been a mixture of sadness and joy.
“Joy in the sense that some state governments that are education friendly, have been doing a lot to improve on teaching and learning activities.
“They have also been constructing classrooms, providing other infrastructure and encouraging teachers through welfare packages.
“On the other hand, it is sad that in many other states, the academic environment is not in proper shape and there is poor welfare for teachers.
“Holistically, I will say that there are still lots of basics that are missing.
“The state of the federal government colleges (unity schools), for instance, is not too good to be celebrated,’’ he said.
The unionist noted that government needed to put its foot down by making a pronouncement over the issue of autonomy of primary education.
“We cannot continue to leave the administration of our primary schools in the hands of the local governments.’’
Alogba-Olukoya urged the federal government to intensify efforts towards improving the education sector in its entirety. (NAN)
CCN/AIB/PIO
