‘Gov’t needs more support to address education infrastructure deficit’

Lagos State Governor Akinwunmi Ambode has said government needs more support from individuals and corporate organisations to address infrastructural deficit in the education sector.

The governor, who stated this in Lagos recently when the chairman of Caverton Offshore Support Group, Aderemi Makanjuola, donated a 500-seat lecture theatre to Lagos State University to commemorate his 70th birthday, said business entities and individuals have a role to play in the improvement of public education, a statement said.

He said education moved a nation from obscurity to a developed world and that the private sector has been asked to work hand in hand with government to move the education sector to greater height.

While noting that education is the bedrock for national development, Ambode said running a qualitative educational system is capital intensive.

He stressed that the competing demands of the different sectors of the economy, coupled with the scarce resources available to government made it necessary to work with the private sectors to provide adequate infrastructure for public schools.

In his remarks, Mr Makanjuola said he got involved with the institution and its development being part of its governing council since the late 80s.

“Education is important and I believe if we have good environment for education, students will excel. I felt that I should do something because when you help people you are helping yourself,” he said.

The vice-chancellor, Prof. Olanrewaju Fagbohun, said the state government has given the university a face-lift and boosted the confidence of both students and teachers.

In his lecture titled ‘Town and Gown: Giving in the Age of Scarcity’, Prof. Akin Oyebode called on university managements to seek other means of generating funds outside government subvention to run their institutions.

“Governments alone cannot undertake development projects required in our universities. Facilities cannot be enough. So, governments cannot do it alone. We are not in universities to make money. We are in to improve the stock of human capital. So we need more funds in our universities,” Oyebode said.