A Don from Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago- Iwoye, Ogun State, Professor Taiwo Edun has advocated for budgetary increase in the education sector to over 20 percent by the Federal Government and continuous annual improvement on it, if Nigeria is to move out from its current state of education quagmire.
The Don who is a Professor of Sociology of Education stated this while delivering his paper as the Keynote speaker at the 4th National Conference of Faculty of Education and Arts, Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida University, Lapai with the theme: “The Issues of Access, Quality and Equity in Nigerian Education System”, held at the Auditorium of main campus of the Institution.
The Keynote Speaker lamented that it was quite unfortunate that Nigeria has been identified to have the highest rate of out-of-school children in the world; stressing that by July, 2019, the figure was put at over sixteen million.
He pointed out that unless urgent and deliberate steps are taken by relevant stakeholders to salvage the situation, Nigeria’s educational system was heading towards irredeemable state.
Professor Edun suggested for fair distribution of nation’s resources to reduce huge income gab between the very few rich and vast majority of poor citizens in order to enable all and sundry have access to quality education.
The Keynote Speaker also emphasised the need for the Federal Government to give more powers to the National Population Commission for a more viable development plans in the country.
Declaring the Conference open, the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Muhammad Nasir Maiturare who spoke through the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic), Professor Mohammed Saba Mohammed decried the continued decay in the education sector of the country despite all the laudable recommendations that have been made by critical stakeholders in the educational institutions.
He commended the Faculty of Education and Arts of the University for coming up with a national conference on very relevant topic that would bring to fore fundamental issues that could help the educational system of the country.
Professor Maiturare charged the conference to come up with recommendations that would help to reposition the nation’s educational system.
The Vice-Chancellor also enjoined the Faculty to continue to work hard towards making the conference an annual event.
In his Goodwill message, the Permanent Secretary, State Ministry of Tertiary Education, Science and Technology, Dr Mohammed Yakubu Bello Paiko represented by the Ag. Director, Science and Technology, Mallam Mohammed Etsu Saidu commended the Faculty of Education for organising a conference on a very relevant topic, particularly as stakeholders have continued to search for ways out of country’s educational predicament.
He assured of State Government’s continued support to the development of the University.
The Provost, Federal College of Education, Kontagora, Professor Farouq Haruna Abdulrashid who was the first Lead Paper presenter spoke on barriers to Access, Equity and Quality of Education in Nigeria as the paper of the second Lead Paper presenter, the Dean, School of Technology Education, Federal University of Technology, Minna, Professor Atsumbe Bernard dwelt on the issues of Access, Quality and Equity in Nigeria Education system.
Speaking earlier, the Dean, Faculty of Education and Arts, Dr. Salahu Muhammad Lawal and the Chairman Local Organising Committee of the Conference, Professor George Eweniyi welcomed participants to the conference and expressed appreciation for the unwavering support and cooperation received from the Management, which facilitated the success of the conference.
In her vote of thanks, Professor Rosemary Bukoye of Counseling Psychology Department, appreciated distinguished personalities that graced the occasion and expressed satisfaction with the unflinching support received from staff of the Faculty.
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