Provision of quality education is a task for all – Education Minister

From George Onyejiuwa, Owerri

The Minister of State for Education, Rt Hon. Goodluck Nanah Opiah has said that the provision of quality education is a task for all stakeholders and should not be left for the government alone .

He also said the current administration of President Muhammadu Buhari, has consistently demonstrated a commitment to the welfare of teachers across the nation and had shown this through increments of salary and retirement age of those in the teaching profession, as well as providing bursary for students studying Education in tertiary institutions across the nation as a way of enhancing the Teaching profession.

The Education minister stated this on Friday during the commissioning of the new administrative building of the Federal Government Girls’ College, Owerri, Imo State.

Oprah further said FG is doing all it can to enhance the status of the teaching profession and make it attractive to the best brains in Nigeria.

According to him,” Am advocating that other stakeholders should participate in funding education. Stakeholders like business men, civil society among others should see it as a contributory effort.

“If government decided to embark on all the problems of education, there will be little or nothing left for government to attend to other sectors like security, health .So, providing quality education is through funding and that should not be left to the government alone, but should be contributory by all stakeholders for the overall interest of our children .

He charged the students to shun cultism , but to work very hard and be good ambassadors of the school.

Earlier in her address, Director/ Principal of the College ,Mrs. Francisca Obiagwu, said the school was founded in 1973 (49 years ago) with few old buildings inherited from Government Secondary School Owerri.

She said,” It had witnessed a succession of ten Principals before she assumed office in January, 2020. The old Administrative Block which I met when I came on board was one of those inherited structures and it was near dilapidation. I did a lot of repairs on it but I saw that the building was not befitting for a reputable College like ours. Without any delay.