Education: NANS commends Ondo govt

NANS

National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS)

National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS)

The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has commended the efforts of the Ondo State Government for earmarking 19 per cent of her 2020 budget for education in the state.

Mr Kowe Odunayo, the Southwest Coordinator of the association, made this known in Abuja on Thursday.

Odunayo, however, called for adequate funding of education in the state as well as providing realistic, effective and implementable policies to revive the educational sector.

While commending government’s efforts in the education sector Odunayo, stressed the need to implement the budget to the letter and ensure that the funds are actually channelled to the right cause.

He noted that N35.9 billion set for education out of the total of N187.9 billion would not, however, be enough for effective funding of the sector in the state.

“It is only important that we cite the allocation as an example to other state governments and the Federal Government that education can indeed be funded in Nigeria beyond the 26 per cent budgetary allocation recommended by UNESCO.”

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Odunayo also called for the reduction in the hike in fees of tertiary institutions in the state saying that the hike could jeopardise the gains of the budgetary allocation.

He advised the government to emulate the enduring legacy of Chief Obafemi Awolowo’s free and compulsory education which he preached and pursued till his death.

“We wish to state that NANS is aware of the hike in fees by the state government in virtually all the state-owned institutions.

“These include Adekunle Ajasin University Akungba-Akoko and Ondo State University of Science and Technology, Okitipupa where students pay N150,000 per session just to mention a few.

“We thereby call for a total reversal of the skyrocketed fees if the government is indeed sincere with the development of education in the state.

“It is high time government paid adequate attention to education by providing realistic, effective and implementable policies to revive the sector,” he said.

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