By Chinelo Obogo
Member representing Ohaji/Egbema, Oguta, Oru constituency in the Federal House of Representatives, Kingsley Uju-Chima, has urged the National Assembly to ensure that the 2023 budget for teachers and education is increased.
.
In celebration of World Teachers’ Day which had the theme “The Transformation of Education begins with a Teachers”, Uju-Chima said in a statement that the National Assembly must find a way to reflect more for teachers as it received the 2023 budget from the President Muhammadu Buhari today (Friday).
“As a parliamentarian, I want to urge us today that in the budget we have received from President (Muhammadu Buhari, we should devote enough percentage for teachers and for the development of education. Why I say this is because, the United Nations charter says ‘education should be given upmost priority in order to develop a nation.
“If we watch the level of insecurities today in the country, it borne out of the level of ignorance and illiteracy, ” Uju-Chima said.
He said that there is need for every Nigerian to appreciate teachers because without them, members of the house for instance, including him would be in their various villages.
The lawmaker noted that our lingua franca exists because of teachers which otherwise would have made lawmaking almost impossible considering the different languages represented at the Assembly
“I am very optimistic that if the teachers were not there, maybe some of us would not have the oppourtunity of coming to Abuja to see the level of development we have seen or are seeing today.
“This is why it is very imperative for us to use this medium again to celebrate the teachers, most especially the ones that taught and impacted directly on my life as a student either in primary, secondary or in the university,” Uju-Chima said.
He added that teachers inculcated most of virtues and discipline being exhibited as lawmaker. He said most of them hated many of their teachers for being disciplinarians but their discipline paid off.
He commended the Speaker of the House, Femi Gbajabiamila, for creating oppourtunity to celebrate the teachers on the World Teachers’ Day and for devoting almost two weeks to intervene in ASUU strike to see to its end.
The lawmaker, who noted that no one can become anything without going through the school system, said that school system made each member of the parliament what they were.
He urged lawmakers to deemphasise “on whatever projects that would not impact positively on the lives of our children and the lives of those students who are out of school because of ASUU strike.”