Despite Decreasing Budgetary Allocation, Buhari Pledges To Increase Funding For Education

– Lauds Abdulsalami, Kyari, Others For Bagging Honorary Doctorates

Despite a consistent reduction in education budgets, President Muhammadu Buhari has pledged the commitment of his administration to increased funding for education, particularly in tertiary institutions.

Checks by THE WHISTLER show a downward spiral in budgetary allocations to education in the last four years.

In the 2018 budget, only 10.7% was allocated to education. It spiraled down to 7.02% in 2019, 6.7% in 2020 and 5.68% in the recently passed 2021 budget.

However, the president said his government would continue to ramp up funding for education as resources improve.

President Buhari made the promise on Tuesday at the 30th convocation and 38th Founder’s Day of the Federal University of Technology Minna.

Represented by the Minister of State for Education, Emeka Nwajubia, the president said “Let me assure you that government will continue to be alive towards its responsibility to university education. Efforts will continue to be geared towards improved infrastructural development and increased funding for our universities.”

President Buhari added that “while the federal government does not have any intention of abdicating its responsibilities to higher educational institutions, the time has come for all stakeholders to take another look at the erstwhile model of absolute reliance on government”

He further expressed commitment to ensuring industrial harmony in the educational system, promising that the government would continue to dialogue with staff unions to amicable resolve differences.

The president also congratulated recipients of the university’s honorary doctorate degrees, including former head of state, General Abdulsalami Abubakar; President, African Development Bank, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina; founder and chairman, BUA Group, Alhaji Abdul Samad Rabiu as well as the GMD, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPCL), Mallam Mele Kolo Kyari.

He noted that the awardees have made “tremendous contributions to the growth of Nigeria” while urging them to continue to serve the country.