The Senator representing Lagos Central Senatorial District in the Senate, Mrs Oluremi Tinubu has called on the government to be more committed to education in the country.
She made the call while delivering the keynote address at the University of Lagos’ 12th Annual Research Conference And Fair Themed: Governance And National Development: Issues And Implication held at the university, recently.
According to her, education in the country has become a reflection of the life of the nation where the leadership at all levels dumped much needed development in preference for self-serving governance.
She explained that over the years, institutions in the country have suffered widespread criminal neglect of infrastructure, content and administration and once highly regarded and respected internationally, “our institutions have plummeted in reputation and self-esteem.
“Everywhere one turns, the decay in structures and facilities and the fall in morale are palpable. Institutional corruption began to erode discipline badly in virtually all the processes of teaching and learning.
“Our institutional and public libraries are generally under-stocked and underutilized. And without a good reading culture, there is no incentive to attract public support for improvements in our libraries.”
Tinubu disclosed that the United Nations projections show that we are on course to be the fourth largest country, in population, by the turn of the next century.
She however said without commensurate growth in educational access, quality, purpose and relevance, “we will be ill-prepared to take advantage of this demographic opportunity which can easily turn catastrophic indeed, in the absence of real leadership.
“Therefore, the leadership in Nigeria must provide a conducive environment for real and quality education. We must also realise that government alone cannot provide all the solutions.
“The examples of developed economies where education is an engine for development shows that individuals, religious groups, communities and businesses must contribute towards providing education that leverages development.”
On the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU strike, the senator urged the government to look into it seriously “and I would appeal to ASUU to tender mercy not to government but to the young people who are out there.”