Education to top Ogun State 2015 budget

Ibikunle Amosun, Governor of Ogun state has disclosed that the State government spent a total sum of N60 billion on education since May 2011, adding that the proposed 2015 Ogun state ‎fiscal estimates still vote the largest share to the development of education in the State.

Amosun stated this while declaring open the 60th National Council on Education (NCE) meeting at the Cultural Centre, Kuto, Abeokuta, saying that education being the first of the five cardinal programmes of the government required a total turn-around from the comatose situation it was before May 2011.

He said, “The situation we met on ground requires total overhauling of the sector. Education is the best legacy that can be bequeathed to the young ones.  Education is key to total national development. Employable graduates depend on the quality of education provided.”

He said the provision of free textbooks and other instructional materials, rehabilitation of dilapidated blocks of classrooms, distribution of free school bags, payment of final year students, WAEC fees, training and re-training of teachers and the Uplift of final year students in the State Public Secondary Schools amongst others are the areas the State government have devoted attention.

The governor therefore challenged stakeholders in the education sector present at the meeting to give adequate attention to the development of education in all ramifications.

In his keynote address, Honourable Minister of Education, Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau, commended the giant strides the State government has made in the area of education, noting that the Federal Government would continue to place a high premium on the transformation of the country, using education as the spring board.

Speaking on the theme of the meeting “Access and Equity; Imperative for National Development, the Minister said the Federal Government would continue to ensure the nation’s objectives of developing individuals with skills and competences to support global competitive advantage.

The opening ceremony was attended by the Minister of State for Education, Viola Adaku Owuliri, Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Education, MacJohn Nwaobiala, Commissioners and Permanent Secretaries in the 36 states, and heads of institutions throughout the federation.

RAZAQ AYINLA