President tasked to make education affordable

olamide oni

November 20, 2015 10:32 AM

Group urges Buhari to prioritize education.

President Muhammadu Buhari

A non-governmental organization (NGO), Africa Arise for Change Network, recently urged Nigerian president Mohammadu Buhari to prioritize education in the country.

The group executive secretary, Israel Hassan, in an email issued this week, declared that it was time the Federal Government fulfilled his promises to provide affordable education at all levels to Nigerians.

He noted that education remained a cardinal avenue for mobilizing and empowering citizens to make meaningful contributions to the economy, adding that it must be made accessible to all.

The group also urged the newly appointed Minister for Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu, to put a lot of focus on distance learning as it is gradually gaining population in this age.

The statement, in part, read, “We have seen the growing acceptance of distance learning as a pathway to getting tertiary education particularly in the wake of the milestones the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) has recorded during the tenure of its vice chancellor, Professor Vincent Tenebe.

“This repositioned NOUN should be explored by the incumbent government as a way of getting more of those currently not getting tertiary education into some form of study programmes. The team that has made distance learning to its present level in Nigeria should be included in a panel to advice government on how to give more Nigerians education using the strategy that has worked for them.

“The last time Nigerians were able to pursue education that lead to award of recognized certificates on this scale was in the olden days when people were taking foreign correspondence courses. The distance learning of NOUN therefore makes for educational revival for all citizenry.”

olamide oni