Education
FG Earmarks N5.8bn For Books … Says Poor NECO Performance Unacceptable
The Executive Council of the Federation (ECF) has approved N5.8 billion for the purchase of books and instruction materials in public schools.
The Minister of Information and Communications, Prof. Dora Akunyili, made the statement while briefing State House correspondents after an ECF meeting, presided over by President Goodluck Jonathan.
Akunyili said the fund would be used, specifically, to print and distribute, English Language and Mathematics textbooks to primary five pupils in public schools.
She also said the fund would be used to provide assorted library resource materials in public junior secondary schools.
“It will be recalled that Council at its meeting of August 27, 2008, approved the utilisation of 15 per cent of the 2 per cent Consolidated Revenue Fund as intervention fund for procurement of instruction materials to enhance universal basic education in Nigerian public schools.
“The annual intervention commenced with the printing and distribution of textbooks for primary four, using the 2008 grants as approved by Council,’’ she said.
Also speaking, the Minister of Education, Prof Ruquyyat Rufai, said the books would be distributed free to all public schools.
The minister also said that the books would be distributed based on the needs of students in every state.
The Tide’s source reports that three indigenous publishers – Macmillan, Longman and Evans Brothers – were awarded the contract for the printing and distribution of the books within six weeks.
Meanwhile, the education minister has said that the recent abysmal performance of students in the NECO and other examinations nationwide was unacceptable to the government.
In addressing the problem, the minister said the ministry would convene an examination summit on May 17 to address the problem of mass failure in public examinations.
She said the summit would engage relevant stakeholders, including examination bodies, students, teachers, parents and others, to discuss the problem and offer viable solutions.
The River State Commissioner for Education, Dr Peters Nwagor has called on media practitioners in Rivers State to deploy their various communication platforms toward promoting government programmes and policies aimed at achieving sustainable development in the education sector. Dr. Nwagor made the appeal when members of the Etche Ethnic Practicing Journalists (EEPJ) paid him a courtesy visit in Office in Port Harcourt. The Commissioner emphasized the strategic role of the media in shaping public perception, promoting government initiatives, and supporting policies capable of improving the quality of education and human capital development in the state. According to him, constructive media engagement remains essential in creating public awareness on educational reforms, students’ welfare, infrastructural improvements, and other interventions being implemented by the state government. Speaking on the recent appro
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