Jonathan promises more cash for education

President Goodluck Jonathan has restated his administration’s determination to improve the education sector through vigorous budgetary allocation to the sector. The move is to make the secotr more responsive to the need and challenges of the nation.

Jonathan, who spoke yesterady at the public presentation of the nation’s education data survey and the inauguration of the Digest of Education Statistics from 2006 to 2010, in Abuja , assured Nigerians of increase budgetary allocation to the sector.

Represented by his deputy Namadi Sambo, Jonathan frowned that while the federal budget has continued to increase, that of education has remained static, adding; “this will not continue. However, this lacuna has been addressed in the 2011 budget.”

Expressing his concern about the trend, he said: “That it is only through improved, spread and quality education system that his administration would achieve its plan to transform Nigeria .”

He went further that education would play a vital role in the administration’s efforts towards tackling the challenges of inadequate and irregular power supply, quality health provision, enhanced transport system as well as overall development.

“For instance, the issue of ensuring that we have adequate power supply, we need to get the plant, develop expansion and operate and mange the facilities. We need Nigerians to do all these and they must be educated Nigerians. It is only educated Nigerians that can run efficient seaports, rail system, health and other sectors of the economy.

“The mirage of our problems as a society can be achieved through a responsive education system. None of our developmental goals would be achieved if the education system cannot produce men and women to provide solutions to the problems.”

ASUU threatens strike

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) yesterday in Kaduna accused the Federal Government and the National Assembly of reneging on the agreement it entered with the union two years ago.

The group said the inability of the government to fulfil its side of the agreement would spell doom for the nation's universities and added that Nigerians should hold the government responsible for whatever happened.

Already, the university lecturers had directed all executives of the union in the various universities to call for congress in respect of the proposed strike. They added that the peace on campuses for the past two years would be truncated if the current National Assembly failed to enact relevant laws required for the smooth running of the university system in the country in line with the 2009 ASUU/Federal Government agreement.

Addressing journalists at the end of the its National Executive Council meeting at the Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, the ASUU President, Ukachukwu Awuzie noted that members had waited in vain for over two years for the government to fulfill its own part of the agreement without success.

Mr Anwuzie said the major cause of crisis in the nation's universities had always been the failure of government to implement valid agreements that it entered into with the union.

"Government has failed, refused and neglected to enact laws that will give effect to certain major areas of the agreement that need legislation for their implementation and enforcement," he said. "Of particular concern is the 70-years retirement age for lecturers in the professorial cadre. The expectation was that this item in the agreement would be passed into law within a few months of the agreement. After close to two years of waiting in vain and seeing the consequences in the form of continued brain drain in the university system, ASUU members have become restive across the country."