Vice-Chancellor, AlHikmah University in Kwara State, Prof. Sulyman Abdulkareem
For academics and students,increased funding should be the priority of the would-be president in the next dispensation, FEMI MAKINDE, SUCCESS NWOGU and SODIQ OYELEKE write
As Nigerians await the outcome of the presidential poll held on Saturday, stakeholders in education say that there is the need to put the leading candidates, especially the Peoples Democratic Party standard-bearer, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, and his All Progressives Congress counterpart, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd), to task concerning the education sector.
For the stakeholders, though the two leading parties paid greater attention to providing infrastructure, fighting corruption and rebuilding the economy during the electioneering, there is the need to create an education roadmap for them in the next dispensation.
According to the Chairman of the Academic Staff Union of Universities at the Osun State University, Dr. Seye Abiona, the task ahead for whoever becomes the president-elect is enormous for not only the education sector but also other spheres of the economy. He said different sectors in the country were sick and so required serious attention to ensure a massive turn around.
Abiona said, "The whole system is sick. Whosever wins the race should ensure he works hard to turn things around in the country. Electricity supply is zero in many areas, insecurity is there and many Nigerians are jobless. There is also a huge problem in the education sector.
"I pray that the wish of Nigerians will be respected. Nigerians trooped out to vote the person they want to lead the nation for the next four years. They should allow the wish of the majority to prevail."
For the Vice-Chancellor, AlHikmah University in Kwara State, Prof. Sulyman Abdulkareem, the president-elect needs to seek a fresh roadmap to stopping the frequent closure of public universities.
According to him, education is an essential development component of the society, which requires priority.
Canvassing the need for adequate funding, he stated that public universities should be the pacesetters for the private and faith-based tertiary institutions to follow.
He said, "I am hoping that the president-elect will eventually realise that education is an essential commodity. It is not something he should allow to be closing down as we have noticed in the recent time.
"Whomever that can give that to the nation is the one I pray should emerge as the president-elect. I pray that God will direct our leaders to realise that education is vital to the growth of the country. It is an essential thing that requires the attention of all. Finally, there should be more funding for education."
For the Deputy Dean, Student Affairs, Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso, Dr. Debo Ishola, getting it right in the education sector will enable the country to solve its other myriad of problems.
Ishola, a Physics lecturer, noted that Nigeria, which prides itself as the giant of Africa still depends on importation of goods from important products to worthless ones, including toothpicks.
Ishola said, "Education which is the basis of development in any country should be strengthened. Whoever wins this time should do more to develop the sector.
Vice-Chancellor, University of Ilorin, Prof. Abdulganiyu Ambali
Also, the University of Ilorin VC, Prof. Abdulganiyu Ambali, urged the would-be president to pay a greater attention to strengthening research in tertiary institutions. For him, there was the need to establish more research funding agencies, designate laboratories/institutions that would drive government research agenda and provide stable electricity supply in order to put such equipment into effective use.
Students are also not shying away from demanding an improved education sector in the next dispensation. For instance, the South West Coordinator, National Association of Nigerian Students, Mr. Sunday Ashefon, called on whoever emerges between Jonathan and Buhari to give priority to the interest of Nigerians.
According to Ashefon, the winner should remember to deliver on his electioneering promises as well as his party manifesto in education.
He said, "They should remember what they promised while urging Nigerians to vote for them. I believe whoever wins should do what he promised.
Although the winner may not be able to do everything, he should ensure that he delivers on his promises, especially in education.
"Many Nigerian youths are not employed and electricity supply is a huge problem. There is hunger and deprivation while the few ones who are in position of power are greedy.
"We should no longer be depending on importation of fuel because as an oil producing nation, we should have at least three functional refineries which will be producing at optimal level.
"Above all, education sector should be given priority because without it, there will be no development. Students are tired of staying at home due to incessant strikes. Whatever is causing the strikes should be addressed and funding of the education sector should be improved upon."
Beyond addressing the issue of underfunding of the sector, the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, President-elect, Omotayo Akande, said there was the need to look into academic needs of students.
He noted, "The country's education over the decades had experienced serious underfunding. The academic syllabus is outdated. There is the need to teach the Nigeria students in tune with the expectations of a 21st century demands. I expect that anybody that emerges should give education a priority this time around.
"Again, the new leadership should make adequate provision for proper research and standardisation in the nation's tertiary education. We expect that the winner will cater to the welfare of students and give us a sense of belonging."
Akande's colleague at the University of Lagos, Martin Abiodun, agrees no less. He, nonetheless, urged the would-be president to endeavour to upgrade the facilities and infrastructure at the primary, secondary and tertiary levels.
Abiodun also demanded that the president-elect should ensure that peace reigns in the country.
"Whoever emerges should also put in place policies that will take Nigeria to its pride of place in Africa, educationally," he added.
The Lagos State University Student Union Public Relations Officer, Adebanjo Adekoya, advised the would-be president to increase the budget allocation in the next dispensation.
In his thinking, to make an impressive impact in the sector, there was the need to increase the education budget to 23 per cent.
Fawole Israel
For the Director of Media, NANS in Oyo State, Fawole Israel, the president-elect should concentrate on reforming the country's' education in line with international standard.
He stressed, "I look forward to seeing a reformed sector in the next dispensation where non-Nigerians will once more start seeking admissions to our universities."
But the Coordinator, Council of Higher Institutions, Tajudeen Akolade, said the agenda for the president-elect should border on increasing the welfare of students.
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