Education sector in danger of collapse — ex UN envoy

NIGERIA'S former Permanent Representative to the United

Nations and Chancellor of the Kwara State University (KWASU),

Malete, Professor Agboola Gambari, has warned that the

education sector in Nigeria is in dire straits due to constraints of

funds.

Speaking at the third Convocation ceremony of the university at

the weekend, Professor Gambari said the situation had led to

‘half-baked graduates’ syndrome.

“Basic infrastructural, teaching and learning facilities are

pathetically lacking in most areas of academic pursuits in our

universities, which has painfully led to the 'half baked graduates'

syndrome,” he said.

The chancellor, who appealed to Nigerians, organisations, staff

and stakeholders who are financially blessed to pick up the

gauntlet and invest in university education, said that, “we cannot

afford to leave the funding of university education to government

alone, because relying solely on subventions from the

government alone will only exacerbate the already dismal state of

the sector.”

He also urged the new government to tackle current socio-

economic challenges “such as high poverty level, huge youth

unemployment, persistent power blackout despite huge amounts

of money invested; the challenge of insecurity, especially the

scourge of Boko Haram, and the perennial disconnect between

the citizens and the government – which he said had inevitably

led to high levels of distrust of the leaders by the rest of the

citizens.

“Indeed the broken social contract between the rulers and the

ruled must be fixed. The government should as a matter of

priority open and strengthen communications between

government and citizens. Trust building between the government

and the citizens would make the people feel carried along in the

business of governance,” he said.

Speaking on the 2015 elections, Professor Gambari described the

aftermath as rebirth of democracy in the country.

"Nigeria now has a new opportunity to deepen its democracy and

deliver its dividends such as quality social services, including

especially education and health, prosperity and security of life

and property," he said.

He also said that ‘change’ slogan of President Muhammadu

Buhari should not remain so, adding that government must

prepare to deliver on campaign promises.

He thus solicited for support of Nigerians for the new

administration, saying that it can only succeed with people's

support, adding that people must give that support while insisting

on a permanent end to impunity and zero-tolerance for official

corruption.