Fred Ezeh, Abuja
President Muhammadu Buhari has said that Nigeria will not achieve the desired remarkable socioeconomic development until its education system is transformed.
He maintained that the education sector received impressive financial and logistics support in the past four years, and it will remain a high-priority item in the new administration in order to avail Nigerians equal access to quality and affordable education.
Buhari who was the visitor at the 23rd convocation ceremony of the University of Abuja (UniAbuja), challenged everyone involved in education administration and management to support government efforts in education transformation.
He said: “The acquisition of quality and affordable education will, undoubtedly, have a great impact on the socioeconomic development of Nigeria.
“Evidence revealed that the ability of Nigeria, with its huge population to overcome its developmental challenges and emerge as global economic force no longer depends on the petroleum resources that it possesses, but on its ability to develop its human capital and education is the key to the achievement of that ultimate goal.
“Statistics from Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) indicated that in 2018, remittances from Nigerians in the Diaspora exceeded the net revenue made from petroleum. It’s an indication that Nigeria does not only possess the competitive edge but will be a key player in the emerging knowledge economy.”
He appreciated the outgoing Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Micheal Adikwu, for his commitment and efforts that heralded unprecedented infrastructural and human capital transformation in the school.
The VC, in his speech expressed fulfilment that the school had been able to overcome its academic and administrative challenges that distorted its academic calendar few years ago.
He appealed to anyone that would take over from him to leverage already established platform, in addition to innovations, to drive the academic and administrative records of the school.
He congratulated the graduands for the successful completion of their academic programme. He expressed confidence in their capacity to defend their certificates anywhere in the world irrespective of the situation. He also encouraged them to be good ambassadors of the school in their actions and utterances.
Chancellor of the school and Emir of Zazzau, Alhaji Shehu Idiris, insisted that the school is in a transition period, and appealed to the Federal government for a special grant that would expedite developmental work in the school.
Talatu Adamu from the Department of Chemistry was crowned the 2019 best graduating student with 4.81 GP.