President Buhari: Nigerian government cannot afford the amount of funds needed to revive the nation’s educational system

President Muhammadu Buhari has stated the Nigerian government cannot afford the amount of funds needed to revive the nation’s educational system. Buhari also stated the competition for capital had become keener because of the current gain in the number of tertiary institutions in Nigeria. The president spoke on Saturday at the 49th convocation ceremony of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka.

He explained the fiscal situation was worsened by the global economic recession, which also affected the national revenue. Buhari, who was represented in the ceremony by the Minister of State for Education, Emeka Nwajiuba, nevertheless, said his administration was committed to addressing the requirements of tertiary institutions through budgetary allocations to the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND).

“I am optimistic that the drive to increase the national economy will provide the government with additional resources to enhance financing for the education system,” he explained. The president said the universities must also leverage other funding sources, such as alumni, friends, the private sector, institutional linkages, and study grants, to attract additional revenue such as infrastructure, research, and advancement. “We should also address the issues of poor work ethics and the albatross of prolonged and recurrent industrial actions by the staff of universities,

” the president stated. Buhari advised academic institutions throughout the country to embark on the kind of innovative research which might help boost production and diversify the market.

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“Our universities must continue to emphasise instruction in entrepreneurship so school leavers and graduates can become job creators instead of continuing job seekers,” he explained. On his part, Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Amaechi, stated the authorities must attempt to address the perennial struggle of poverty and inequality in the nation or risk losing the youth to crime. Amaechi, who delivered the 49th convocation lecture of this university, said that the series of protests held across the country of late, such as #ENDSARS, was a consequence of increasing poverty and disaffection on the part of the taxpayers.

“Although the current government has introduced a number of programmes to help eradicate poverty, such as Transportation Track for individuals who were into the transportation business, many Nigerians are yet to be raised out of poverty,” the ministry stated. He stated that policies ought to be focused on the rural majority, and targeted at providing the citizens a fantastic lifestyle and lifting them from poverty.