Why FG must raise education budget – Igbinedion

The Deputy Chancellor, Igbinedion University, Chief Lucky Igbinedion, has urged the federal government to raise the education budget to meet the United Nation Education Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) approved benchmark for the benefit of the education sector and the country.

Speaking during the 16th convocation ceremony of the institution, the Deputy Chancellor said raising the education budget would enhance the infrastructure and standard of education in the country.

“FG should raise its budget of the education sector to at least something closed to the benchmark approved by UNESCO. Education is the bedrock of every development hence we must take action. Attention should be given to lower education because a situation where students still sit on bare floor and under the trees to receive lecture will not bring the desire change,” he said.

Igbinedion disclosed that as part of the institution’s corporate social responsibility, is gives rebate in terms of school fees to parents who have three children and above in the institution as well as workers of the institution who want to continue education.

“To meet the economic challenges, we have restructured our curriculum to make our graduates self-reliance and I have no doubt that with the quality of graduates we have churned out, the leadership and economic challenges of the country would be addressed,” he noted.

On his part, the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of Council, Igbinedion University, Prof. Sheik Ahmed Abdallah, stressed the need for government at all level to begin to address the problems bedevilling the education sector as any government playing with education is playing with its future and bound to have crisis.

He therefore called on the federal to find lasting solution to all cases of industrial actions, especially the Academic Staff Union of Universities, saying that such incidences are signs of under development.

Earlier, the Vice Chancellor of the institution, Prof Lawrence Ezimonye, said a total of 736 students graduated from the institution, just as 20 bagged first class honours.

He stressed the need for government to support private universities with access to Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND) intervention funds to promote and enhance research and staff development.

Daily Trust reports that during the convocation, former president of the Republic of Ghana, John Dramani Mahama, the Chairman of Edo State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Dan Orbih and HRM Oba Abdulraheed Adewale Akanbi, the Oluwo of Iwo, were conferred with honorary degrees.