- UNIVERSITY DON URGES GOVERNMENT TO ALLEVIATE HUNGER, POVERTY, OTHERS
A call has gone to all tiers of government to, as a matter of urgency, put an end to incessant hunger, poverty and high level of insecurity ravaging the country in recent times, with an appeal to stakeholders to find a lasting solution.
The plea was made recently by Prof. Raymond Uwameiye of the Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, Edo State while delivering a keynote address at the 1st International Conference of the College of Vocational and Technology Education (COVTED) of Tai Solarin University of Education, Ijagun, Ogun State.
Prof. Uwameiye commended the organisers for choosing the topic which is germane at this trying period in the history of education in the country, noting that the forum would further deepen discussion on the subject matter.
The don, who focused his paper on the theme: *”Educational, Scientific and Technological Innovations for Sustainable Development”* however, appealed to government to urgently upgrade infrastructure and other facilities needed in public schools; increase budgetary allocation to education; provide teaching aids to all students; build more functional laboratories and to also retrain teachers in the area of Information and Communication Technology, which he reiterated, as some of the ways of bringing back the lost glory in the education sector.
The Vice Chancellor of the University, Prof. Abayomi Arigbabu in his opening remarks, warned the government against the use of military power in solving myriads of insecurity pervading the nation with the advice to the government to create robust economic activities and social rehabilitation programmes that are capable of creating jobs, reducing poverty and crime, as well as repairing the dilapidated social infrastructure.
The Vice Chancellor, who was represented by the Deputy Vice Chancellor, Pfof. Oluwole Banjo further reiterated that solutions to the problems of the country require the application of scientific and technological innovations.
In his welcome address, the Dean of the College of Vocational and Technology Education (COVTED), Prof. B.J.O. Ayorinde called on stakeholders to declare a state-of-emergency in the educational sector in Nigeria, as the budgetary allocation for education is a far cry from the UNESCO’s 26%, which he noted has adverse effects on the nation’s standard of education.
Prof. Ayorinde further added that all the shortcomings that characterized educational system in the country spurred COVTED to beam its search light on the education terrain.
The conference was attended by academics from different tertiary institutions, researchers, teachers, students and other stakeholders in the education sector.
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