THE Director, Support Groups of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Presidential Campaign Management Council (PCMC), Dr Baraka Sani has told Nigerian students that the presidential candidate of the PDP Atiku Abubakar will improve and strengthen the educational system in Nigeria when voted into power.
Baraka stated this in a written address to parents and Nigerian students made available to News Point Nigeria in Kano on Thursday.
She lamented the deteriorating situation of education in Nigeria insisting that the sector is losing $2 billion in annual spending by parents on their children schooling abroad.
“And 47.3% of out-of-school children globally are located in Nigeria. In addition to about 18.5 million children out of school, Nigeria has become the highest in the world! (UNICEF) 2022.
“This situation, makes me think aloud. Why must Nigeria always carry the wrong trophy?
As if this is not enough, currently, it is estimated that we have a 50% primary school dropout rate, with only 16% of secondary school students gaining admission into University per annum.
“At the tertiary level, the story is the same, or even worse! There are an estimated 200,000 university graduates annually and about 140,000 in other tertiary institutions. This means approximately about 3.75 million secondary students cannot fit into the system.
“More than 1 million sit for JAMB annually, at the end of the exercise, barely 10% of them gain admission. Coupled with the exorbitant school fees, in some instances over 200% increase. Currently, our students are about to be compelled to pay yet, another exorbitant increment!” she declared.
However, she called on Nigerian parents and students to embrace the Atiku/Okowa project and vote for them in the coming general elections to resolve the problems in the sector.
She stated some of the plans Atiku has for the sector and assured parents and students that he will surely upgrade the educational system of the country.
“One of the giant strides of this plan is to improve and strengthen the educational system, to make it more accessible, and qualitative.
“Atiku will work with states and critical stakeholders to carry out far-reaching reforms of the system. He will develop a knowledge-driven economy, one in which the generation and exploitation of knowledge would play a predominant part in the creation of wealth.
“He will promote a system that will endeavor to catch the recipients young at a time when they are receptive to creativity and critical thinking and equip them with the education and skills required to be competitive in the new global order, driven by innovation, science, and technology to live healthy, productive and meaningful lives.
