Mr Chike Ukaegbu, the Presidential candidate of the
Advanced Allied Party has pledged to allocate 35 per cent of budget to
education if elected as president in the 2019 election.
Ukaegbu made the promise in Abuja on Thursday at the Joint
Education Stakeholders Action Coalition (JESAC) Consultative Conference
on education and 2019.
He said that focusing on the country’s educational sector was an important course toward the development of other sectors.
He
said that training of teachers, adequate infrastructure and excellent
research and development would be the focus of his administration if he
won the election.
‘‘The average dreams of Nigerians are to
go out to other countries whether to do business or for schooling
because the leaders of those countries have spent time to build an
ecosystem that supports and nurture education.
‘‘And these are the things we have to
think of doing to invest in education. It is very disappointing that
only a minute percentage is allocated to education when we should be
investing 30 to 35 per cent.
‘‘If I have the opportunity, as an
educator, administrator and as a curriculum developer, it is important
we take a holistic approach when we talk about our education.
‘‘It is important to make sure that our
teachers are being trained well, they are qualified to teach and the
infrastructure of our educational institutions is one that creates and
set spaces for children to learn.
‘‘Also, an excellent research and
development that amplifies our ability to look and empower our
educational sector will be my focus,’’ he said.
Ukaegbu further explained that equipping
students with entrepreneurial skills was important to attaining
effective and efficient performance on the job.
‘‘As a president, I think developing entrepreneurial skills of students will also be of priority.
‘‘This is because the skills can be used
on their jobs after graduation so that they can be equipped whether they
choose to go into the workforce or they create jobs.
‘‘The problem we are having today is that we graduate students who are not fit for the workforce.
‘‘It is also important to make sure we
improve on the quality of education so that we can start to attract
international students.’’
Ukaegbu added that creating an environment for
education to thrive would attract international students thereby
contributing to the nation’s Gross Domestic Product.
Mr Ike Onyechere, JESAC’s National
Coordinator, said the purpose of the conference was to start mobilising
its 24 million members to elect education-friendly leaders in the 2019
elections.
“Some political parties and candidates
have presented their education scorecards/manifestos for critical
assessment by stakeholders with a view to deciding on candidates that
will be voted for by the 24 million JESAC members.
“The members include concerned parents;
education officers; administrators; teaching and non-teaching staff and
students in education ministries; agencies; institutions; education
unions and associations across the country.’’
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that
JESAC, inaugurated in 2010, is a voluntary action coalition of 20
education unions and associations that span the whole spectrum of the
education sector from primary schools to tertiary institutions.
They include the NUT; Association of Primary
School Head Teachers of Nigeria; All Nigerian Confederation of
Principals of Secondary Schools; National Parents Association of Federal
Unity Secondary Schools of Nigeria and Senior Staff Association of
Nigeria Universities.
Others are: Non-Academic Staff Union of Education and Associated Institutions, ASUU, among others.