Funding, greatest scourge devouring Nigeria’s education sector – Afe Babalola

Funding is the greatest scourge devouring the country’s education sector, Aare Afe Babalola, has said.

The founder of Afe Babalola University, Ado Ekiti, who made the declaration during the 6th convocation ceremonies of his university, said many of the states, including federal government budget as low as seven percent to the sector.

The legal Icon advised that the federal government should set up a centralized body to conduct unified examinations for all undergraduates of the university, saying this remains the best way to inject standardization into the system.

He also urged the federal and state governments to abide with the directive given by United Nations Education and Socio-Cultural Organization (UNESCO) that 26 percent of the budgetary allocation should go to the funding of education.

At the event, the President, African Development Bank(AfDB) and former Minister of Finance, Dr Akinwumi Adesina and the Chief Executive Officer of Channels Television, Mr. John Momoh, bagged prestigious honourary doctorate degrees of the university.

Babalola disclosed that the two eminent Nigerians were rewarded based on their sterling contributions to the development of the country, particularly the youth population.

The university also graduated a total of 1,042 graduates, with 72 bagging first class honour degrees from different departments.

He regretted that Nigeria has one of the most poorly funded universities globally, stating that this necessitated the low ranking the country’s citadels of learning were being accorded on Webometrics rating.

“The quality of education is most desirable but is also an expensive enterprise. It is no news that education sector is in crisis due to poor funding. Whereas, UNESCO recommended that at least 26 percent of national budget should be dedicated to education, but Nigeria budgets less than 7%.

“I urge the FG to revisit the moribund education bank to enable students access loans at reduced rates to fiancé the education and also to start their own businesses after graduation.

“This is the surest way to put an end to rising unemployment particularly for graduates after leaving universities”, he said.

Babalola appealed to the federal government to establish an Airport in Ado Ekiti as well reconstruct Ado-Ijan-Ikare road for easy access to the university.

“The federal road leading to this university, Ado- Ikare road is in bad condition, of course there is no rail line and there is also no airport. With the provision of the two in Ekiti, Nigerians will benefit from the 400-bed multi – system hospital which has latest equipment here in this university.

“The FG approved airport for this state in 2009 for the benefit of all Nigerians, who can benefit from our quality healthcare delivery and functional education we are offering in ABUAD”.

The former Minister, Dr. Adesina, in his response, noted that the future of Africa didn’t depend on population and natural resources,

but how best they can use the available resources to convert their visions to reality and urged the graduands to imbibe the culture of good characters, transparency, humility and excellence that had been impacted on them during their stay in ABUAD.

He said “You must consider yourselves lucky to have attended a university that has become a role model to other universities in Africa.

ABUAD is a world class university and with what you have been able to learn here, I believe you have a promising future if you don’t renege on those virtues”.