By; Abdull-Azeez Ahmed Kadir, Kaduna.
Former National Security Adviser (NSA), Gen Aliyu Gusau, has decried lack of budget for books in Nigeria’s education sector.
Gusau made the asserion while presenting 15,000 text books donated to 37 tertiary and secondary schools across the country, by his foundation, Gusau Institute in Kaduna today.
He stressed that such development impact negatively on tertiary education and there is need to address it.
“Simply put, there is no, or very little left in the budget to books. This has a negative knock-on effect on tertiary education and the problem needs to be addressed,” he said.
He also decried the deteriorating quality of education in Nigeria as well as insufficient investment to maintain and sustain the pace with Nigeria’s growing school-age population.
Represented by Dr Haroun Adamu, Chairman Board of Directors, Nagarta Radio, Gen Gusau who doubles as the patron and founder of the foundation, said “the exponential growth in population has put immense pressure on Nigeria’s resources and on already overstretched public service and infrastructure.
“With children under 15 years of age accounting for about 45% of the country’s population, the burden on education has become overwhelming. It is almost impossible to ensure quality education and satisfactory learning achievement when resources have to be spread so thinly across a growing number of students.”
According to him, his Institute “would step in and lend a helping hand by distributing much needed books even though the number might seem like a drop in the ocean.”
The recipients included Nigeria Defence Academy (NDA), Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, Kaduna State University (KASU),University of Jos, Federal University Gusau, Kaduna Polytechnic, Federal College of Education, Zaria, Government Day Secondary School, Katsina, Hammawa Primary Schools, Yola and Musa Shehu Yar’Adua Center, Abuja among others.
