The association has decried poor funding of the education sector in Nigeria which is fast contributing to the decay and rapid decline in the development of the sector in the country. I am of the opinion that should ASUU call on all stakeholders, to rally round to rescue education by putting up strict measures, employment of deserving and qualified professional to save the sector from demise from the years the sector has been setback through marginalization which the ripple effect has caused drastic decline in the education sector.

 

The Academic Staff Union of Universities ASUU, Nsukka Zone, has lamented that the proliferation of Tertiary institutions by state governors and federal government without corresponding funding for the existing institutions to run properly and efficiently was responsible for the poor education system in Nigeria.

 

Addressing a press conference after its zonal meeting held at the Benue State University Makurdi, the zonal coordinator ASUU Nsukka Zone, Dr Igbana Ajir maintained that budgetary allocation by both federal government and states have continued to deplete instead of increasing over the years.

 

The union lamented that it was also worrisome that as many as 17 states in Nigeria fail to provide the matching grants for accessing the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) funds to support “Free, Universal and compulsory basic Education. “This has accounted largely for the despicable and deplorable conditions in most public primary and secondary schools, which should lay the solid foundations for Nigeria’s educational development.

 

“This weak foundation will continue to further derail the educational standard and make us a laughing stock in the comity of Nations.

 

“The proliferation of Tertiary Institutions by state governors and federal government without corresponding funding for the existing institutions to run properly and efficiently is drastically affecting educational growth in Nigeria.

 

“Both state and federal governments had failed over the years in its obligations to allocate thirty percentage of its budget to education sector as recommended by UNESCO”, Dr Ajir stated.

They also advocated for increased budgetary allocation to the sector and less politicisation with educational issues.

 

On the funding crisis being experienced by the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology LAUTECH Ogbomosho, the union said it would have been good if the institution was handed over to one state for proper attention.

 

Source: HEMBADOON ORSAR