***Says sector will get enhanced allocation above 30% in 2025 budget
By Friday Idachaba, Lokoja
Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo of Kogi state has declared his government’s determination to accord basic education priority attention with a pledge to allocate to the sector over 30 per cent of its 2025 budget.
Ododo who disclosed this at the 6th Combined Convocation ceremony of Salem University, Lokoja on Friday said there is need to revamp basic education in the state with a solid foundation for sustained development.
The governor, represented by Mr Wemi Jones, the state Commissioner for Education said his government was that of continuity and consolidation with a resolve to build on the achievements of former Governor Yahaya Bello in the Education sector.
He said that the former governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello administration allocated 30 per cent of the state budget to education but he would rather improve and increase it.
He said that upon realisation that when the foundation is weak, the structure cannot stand the test of time adding that next two years of his administration would be devoted to laying a solid foundation for quality education in the state.
He also declared that the state has resolved to pay for registration fees for all external examinations like WAEC, NECO and NABTEB for all indigenes of the state in final year post-primary schools students.
To give effect to the resolve, the governor said the state has enacted a law called Kogi State Examinations Registration Law and would not want to breach the law.
This, according to him, will enhance students’ enrollment and minimize out-of-school children figure adding that though the state currently has the least figure, “We want to make it as low as possible.
“Kogi currently has three universities, two Colleges of Education, a Polytechnic, a College of Health Science Technology and School of Nursing because we have realized that our major occupation in Kogi State is Education”, he said.
Ododo who is also an alumnus of Salem University promised to be of assistance to the institution even in its private capacity adding that his government is out to make all tertiary education institutions in the state top notch.
He promised to provide security for all educational institutions in the state as he urged the universities, communities and all citizens to assist the state and security organisations and agencies in the state with information.
“You are going to function in secured environments but give security agencies the needed information. The security agents are not spirits and cannot function without adequate information”, he said.
The governor expressed the view that criminals all live within communities and they are known by members of the communities and therefore charged traditional rulers and their subjects to always report every suspicious moves to the appropriate security agencies.
Vice Chancellor of the University has earlier solicited assistance of the state government to the University saying that 90 per cent of staff of the institution as well the students were Kogi State indigenes.
He said that the institution was serving the state and its people and should be given due assistance moreso, that many of l the government officials were either past or current students of the University.
Speaking earlier, Prof. Alewo Johnson Akubo, Vice Chancellor of the University said a total of 497 graduands were being awarded various degrees at the 6th Combined Convocation ceremony with 471 First Degree.
Of the number, he said, 42 bagged First Class Division; 247 Second Class Upper division 176 Second Class Lower Division and six in the 3″ Class Division.
Akubo added that twenty six (26) others graduated from the Post Graduate School with 20 M.Sc., five MBA and one PGD. (Ends)