The Federal Ministry of Education (FME) on Monday condemned the attitude of government at all levels towards the nation’s educational sector.
FME stated that the nation was performing far below the standard recommended by the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO).
UNESCO benchmark for funding of education was 26 percent of the national budget and six percent of the Gross Domestic Products (GDP).
However, Nigeria allocates only six percent of the national budget to the funding of the educational sector.
The Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Education, Mr. Sunny Echono, revealed this at the opening ceremony of the 78th plenary meeting of the Joint Consultative Committee on Education with the theme: “Funding of Education for the Achievement of Education, 2030 Agenda” which was held on Monday, at the Justice Idris Legbo Kutigi International Conference Centre, Minna, Niger State.
Echono said in the 2017 Appropriation Act, N448.01 billion representing 6 percent of the N7.30 trillion budget was allocated to education.
“This situation is not so different in the 36 states of the federation where in 2017, 7.3 percent of their combined total budget estimates to education could be compared to 2016 when N653.53 billion (10.70 percent) of N6.1 trillion was allocated to education in Nigeria.
“With the current population of about 171 million, 45 percent of which are below 15 years, there is huge demand for learning opportunities translating into increased enrollment which has created challenges in ensuring quality education since resources are spread more thinly.”
Echono added that the burden on education had become overwhelming, bringing about a situation where more than 100 pupils are left under the tutelage of one teacher as against the UNESCO benchmark of 35 students per teacher.
The permanent secretary noted that the situation had become more complicated in the North eastern part of the nation, “where the Boko Haram terrorism has deprived many children access to education, teachers had been killed and schools burnt down.”
Echono declared that for Nigeria to join the comity of nations in achieving the 2030 agenda, there must be concerted efforts to increase funding of education.
Niger State Commissioner for Education, Fatima Madugu, in her address, said the state government had invested heavily in the development of educational infrastructure and recruitment of teachers since 2015.
Madugu said for instance, the Whole School Development Approach, Renovation of Schools was unprecedented in the state, adding that the feat has significantly improve the teacher and learning in schools.
“It is also expected that the output of children in these schools would be impressive at the end of their secondary school education.”
She further expressed the hope that the “disarticulation of the ministry of education would create for closer monitoring of education at the tertiary level because of the complexities inherent in managing tertiary education.”
