Sept. 6, 2021

President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, has said that the Federal government is aware of the challenges facing education sector in the country, coupled with the insecurity problem that has worsened the situation.

Lawan stated this at the eighth matriculation of post-graduate students of National Institute for Legislative Studies (NILDS)/University of Benin for the 2020/2021 academic session, on Monday in Abuja.

The programmes being offered by the institute include: Masters degree in Legislative Studies, Legislative Drafting and Parliamentary Administration, among others.

Lawan, who was represented by Sen. Degi Biobarakuma (APC-Bayelsa), listed some of the consequences of the problems facing education sector to include: insecurity, rising criminality, anti-social behaviour and high number of unemployable youths.

“You are well aware of some of the challenges and deficits in this sector, including limited funding, lack of infrastructure and teaching aids, poorly-trained personnel and low level of commitment, among several others.

“These have adversely affected the productivity and output of our schools and centres of learning at all levels,’’ he said.

Lawan added that the National Assembly had amended the Universal Basic Education (UBE) Act to ensure that the two per cent budgetary allocation to UBEC was increased to three per cent.

“However, lots more still remain to be done in order to ensure that all stakeholders at the state and federal levels do their part to strengthen the sector,’’ he said.

The Vice-Chancellor of the institute, Prof. Lilian Salami, urged the matriculating students to make discipline their watchword.

“For the matriculating students, our expectations of you are very high: We believe that as the matured students that you are, you will not disappoint us.

“Rather, you will be the best that you could possibly be and be among our students and graduates who are writing the name of the university in golden letters everywhere,’’ he said.

Also speaking, Director-General of NILDS, Prof. Abubakar Sulaiman, called on the students to comply with all the rules and regulations of the institute, as contained in the matriculation oath and the students’ handbook.

“It is globally accepted that competent technical legislative staffers are essential to effective functioning of the legislature and by extension, to building a strong and virile bureaucracy.

“The programmes offered by the institute are specialised and are guided by the belief that it is only by appropriate and effective education of the populace in democratic governance that genuine and functional democracies can emerge across the world,’’ Sulaiman said.

Speaking on behalf of the matriculating students, Mr. Oscar Abesough, pledged that they would do their best “to rule the world.’’ (NAN)