OSHIOMOLE SAYS EDUCATION MUST TOP ALL PRIORITIES

OSHIOMOLE SAYS: EDUCATION MUST TOP ALL PRIORITIES

Education must top
governments’ priority list,
says Oshiomhole
By Alemma-Ozioruva Aliu, Benin City | 27 October
2016 | 4:32 am
Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State.
Governor Adams Oshiomhole says education must
top the priority list of governments at all levels, if
the country must make any headway. Speaking at
the 20th convocation of the school, where seven
finished in First Class Division for the 2013/2014 and
2014/2015 sessions, Oshiomhole urged management
of universities to, on their parts, ensure that schools
are not shut saying shutting down schools affect
Nigerian students’ abilities to compete with their
foreign counterparts that enjoy uninterrupted
academic calendars.
“There are many universities that are on strike, and
ASUU has cleverly reversed the conventional adage,
or even law, which says, ‘no work, no pay’. Now,
ASUU members find themselves saying to now say,
‘no pay, no work’.
“As we speak, I am sure there are a number of
universities that are not working because the states
have not paid them, and also I am aware of reported
cases of some state governments saying straight away
to the universities that they are not going to be able
to pay more than a fraction of the subvention that
they have been paying on account of the current
economic challenges. For me, I am clear that if the
Nigerian state defaults in every aspect of its
obligation to the people, the Nigerian state, federal
and state governments, must never default in its
obligation to ensuring that teaching and learning
never stop.
“The truth is, Nigeria must reorder its priorities. We
must never allow our educational institutions to close
down. Closing down by one minute will cost us more
than one year of our GDP because every time we
stop learning, as Obama would say, ‘when we go so
low, they continue to go so high’. And yet, we are
expected to compete on the level playing field.
“So, the next government must consolidate on what I
am already doing and continue to do even more,
including keeping promises that I made in good faith,
but which I may not have been able to deliver
timely, but those promises must be delivered, and
these will be in my hand-over note.
“The future that I see, the growth and development
of universities will not be based on the generosity of
a state governor, because nobody knows when we
are going to get out of where we are in. The
challenges are mounting. The government needs to
provide a variety of public services at a time of
declining revenue. In the short run, there will be no
quick fixes. So, the university must be creative.
He said the university would grow not courtesy of
miracles, but on the basis of determined efforts by
management, staff and students to do things
differently. Earlier, Vice Chancellor of the
University, Prof. Ignatius Onimawo, paid glowing
tribute to Governor Adams Oshiomhole, for his
invaluable contributions to the development of the
university.
He said, “The massive interventions of the state
government under the leadership of the Governor
Oshiomhole, are eloquently manifested in the
number of projects that were built from
government’s intervention funds/grants. Undeniably,
the governor has boldly etched his name in gold in
Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma.”
He appealed to the governor-elect, Godwin Obaseki,
to continue in that light so that the heights attained
would be surpassed.According to the Oninawo, 8,692
diploma, and first-degree students graduated for the
2013/2014 and 2014/2015 academic sessions, while
492 postgraduates were conferred with their awards
for the two academic sessions.

source: GUARDIAN