Govt urged to declare state of emergency in education sector

THEFederal Government has been urged to declare a state of emergency in the educational sector to improve the standards and produce high quality manpower. Stakeholders at the 2023 National Re- union of Obafemi Awolowo University Muslim Graduates’ Association ( UNIFEMGA) held at Ile- Ife, Osun State, said that poor educational system with lack of adequate knowledge of the factors responsible for the poor output of the country’s human resources.

The group, in a communique signed by its National President, Abdulfattah Olanlege and the Public Relations Officer, Shamsideen Adenopo, said that, “Nigeria has a long way to go as far as development is concerned and need to go the extra miles to actualize the goal. “Nigeria should declare a state of emergency in the educational sector so that we can produce high quality manpower for the industry and for the purpose of self employment and enterpreneurship.

“The universities are producing graduates that lack skills for employment and creative ability. There is need for universities to generate income to complement government efforts. The sector cannot be funded by government alone. “There is urgent need to invest in higher education by both the state and private sectors for national development while authorities at the higher Institutions need to be more prudent in their spending.

“We urge the Federal and State Governments to adhere to the UNESCO recommended budgetary allocation to the educational sector to improve educational development in Nigeria” it stated.

Noting that the issue of brain drain, obsolete equipments, constant disruption of academic calendars by both labour and students’ unrest, archaic curriculum are some of the few challenges facing tertiary institutions in Nigeria, UNIFEMGA said the incoming government must urgently address it.

For the business environment to thrive, the stakeholders stressed the need for government to provide enabling environment such as focusing on the issues of electricity, infrastructural development and human capital development.

Meanwhile, it enjoined Muslims to uphold some essential values, such as abhorring corruption and abide by the ethics in Islam such as trust, justice, honesty, documentation and mutual respect, in the course of doing business.

The group however presented 120 scholarships and grants to OAU students totaling the sum of N9.43 million, as part of its welfare gesture to the students on campus .