The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has listed a set of expectations from the Nigerian government as the year 2020 begins.
In a statement sent to EduCeleb.com on Wednesday, NANS highlighted insecurity and inadequate funding among other issues it said bedevil the education sector.
The text of the statement signed by NANS chiefs in Zone D is presented below.
2020: REDEFINING GOVERNANCE VIA EDUCATION TOWARDS NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
The leadership of National Association of Nigerian Students – Southwest (NANS ZONE D) felicitates with the entirety of Nigerian Students and the General Public on the occasion of New Year whilst calling for new drive towards National Development.
As we step into the new year and a new decade, We need to come together as one to ensure the sustainable development of our Status quo. We must work with a high level of enthusiasm to foster national development. This can only be possible if we foster unity among us irrespective of our tribe, religion and ideology. We should dwell more on things that promotes unity among us than those divides us.
National Security is a critical issue that needs attention and continuous effort from everyone. Our Government needs to do more to ensure security of lives and properties in the Country. We must resist all attempts to put the Nation in a state of anarchy and also combat gallantly existing security challenges especially in the North East. Our Security Agencies must continue to work hard to protect the constituents of the Nation whilst scaling up their game to match that of the miscreants terrorizing us.
We must continue to develop our Nation by introducing policies that will boost our economy and also increase the standard of living of the common man. Now, that we are running a January to December budget circle, Our scorecard at the end of the year must project improvement on the previous year. This year, Our Government must ensure that they execute the budget to suit the interest of the people by providing social infrastructures and also executing projects of public importance. Our economy must revolve around accountability and transparency.
Since we have chosen Democracy as our form of Government, Credence must be given to the Rule of Law. Our Government must do better in the aspect of respecting court orders, once it is given, it must be honored. We also appeal to the Judiciary to maintain their neutrality and perform their duties without interference from any quarters.
We have just concluded an election year, several promises have been made to the people during campaigns, We call on all political office holders to ensure that they repose the mandate of the people by fulfilling all their campaign promises. We also admonish the people in Government to concentrate more on bettering the live of Nigerians during this administration rather than chasing shadows of 2023. The future will be measured by the present.
Education is important to our development as a Nation. Our Government must give special preference to the Educational sector in the areas of improved funding, educational reforms etcetera. The N48 billion proposed for capital expenditure for the education ministry for 2020 is lower than the N61.73 in 2018 and N56 billion for the sector in 2017. However, it is higher than the capital expenditure of N47.2bn in 2019. Over the years, the country’s funding for education continued to rotate within five per cent, six per cent and seven per cent of the national budgets which fall short of the UNESCO’s recommendation of 15 to 20 per cent allocation to education in the national budgets of developing countries. The meager fund budgeted for Education is not enough to solve the myriads of challenges associated with the sector. We call on the Federal Government to increase its funding of Education as it is vital to National Development.
As a Nation, We must attain New Possibilities in the year 2020. We wish all Nigerian Students and the populace at large a prosperous New Year.
Signed:
Comrade Kappo Samuel Olawale ,
Coordinator ,
National Association of Nigerian students ( NANS ), South West ( ZONE D ).
08073529590
Comrade Olatunji Nurudeen Ishola ,
Public Relations Officer ,
National Association of Nigerian students ( NANS ),
South West ( ZONE D ).
08168113261
