FG APPROVES N208B FOR TERTIARY INSTITUTIONS

President Muhammadu Buhari has approved N208 billion as part of intervention to boost tertiary education in the country.

Buhari, who revealed this, yesterday, while speaking as a visitor at the 23rd Convocation of University of Abuja, also promised to invest more in the Education sector in his second term.

Represented by permanent secretary, Federal Ministry of Education, Arch Sonny Echono, Buhari said the ability of Nigeria, with its huge population to overcome its challenges of development no longer depends on the petroleum resources that it possesses but on the ability of the nation to develop its human capital, adding that education is the key for achieving that ultimate goal.

According to him, “You will all understand that no nation has undergone appreciable socio-economic development without remarkable transition in its education system. Education will therefore, remain the high priority item in this administration to avail all Nigerians equal access to the means of realising their dreams including education and economic empowerment.

“The present administration will continue with its determination to improve on the infrastructure facilities in the universities, to promote teachers’ development and detailed curriculum review in tandem with the needs of our society and most importantly, funding and careful planning to address deficiencies in all the segments of our educational system.

He added that the objective of the administration in the new drive to reinvigorate education sector is to prepare citizens towards the creation of an equitable society where the citizens have safe employment.

“The youth are our most valuable assets. So, it is important to nurture and prepare them for the future. I also use this opportunity to reiterate the commitment of government in addressing youth unemployment. Our government has adopted both short and long term approaches to tackle the problem and with the success of the N-Power volunteer programme, we are now poised to take more lasting economic measures through our fiscal policies to recreate the economy and open up employment opportunities,” he added.

SOURCE: LEADERSHIP