Tertiary Gets 79% of Education Budget, Says Osuji
From Juliana Taiwo in Abuja
Federal Government has provided more funds for the education sector, especially the higher education sub-sector than all previous administrations, Minister of Education, Professor Fabian Osuji, has said.
According to Osuji, this year alone, about N25 billion has been approved for capital and N69.6 billion to recurrent costs, out of which, between 74 and 79 per cent has been allocated to tertiary education, with the universities understandably consuming the lion share.
The Minister who disclosed this at the inauguration of the visitation panels for 61 government owned tertiary institutions said the increase has been more dramatic in 2003 and 2004.
In 2003 about N15.7 billion was allocated to capital expenditure, while N62.8 billion went to recurrent costs in the education sector.
"In more ways than one, higher education is considerably more expensive than other levels," he said.
The Minister, while refuting allegation that Nigeria has been neglecting basic education at the expense of higher education, said a significant difference between this and previous administrations is that money budgeted is actually released, and capital votes are tied to on-going capital projects.
He said the introduction of due process initiative also ensures that public funds are spent judiciously and transparently, especially in relation to capital projects, and that government acting on behalf of the people gets value for money in all cases.
Osuji said as a follow-up to efforts in promoting accountability and transparency in the use of public funds and resources, the Ministry has embarked on another level of self and group assessment and evaluation with the commencement of the 2004 Visitation exercise.
He said in line with the provisions of the Acts establishing all the federal tertiary institutions, visitation is a mandatory exercise to be undertaken every five years. He said the last visitations as introduced by the present administration covered a ten-year period 1988 to 1998.
He, however, said the concern of government to ensure up-to-date monitoring and accountability, and to avoid the backlog associated with the last exercise prompted the current visitation exercise being embarked upon in good time. The visitation will cover the period of 1999 to 2003 and will last for one month.
The committee's nine-point terms reference include, to determine the relationship between the institution and the various statutory bodies it interacts with according to its law for purposes of supervision, planning, finance, discipline, guidance, etc. Such bodies include the governing council, the supervisory agency and the Federal Ministry of Education, as well as the Visitor.
They are to examine the quality of leadership of the institutions in terms of the roles of Governing Council, the Head of Institution and other Principal Officers; the financial management of the institution over the recommended period and determine whether it was in compliance with appropriate regulations and investigate the application of funds, particularly the special grants and loans meant for specific projects in order to determine the status of such projects and their relevance for further funding.
The committee is to also to examine the law establishing the institutions and see in what ways the law has been observed, in all its ramifications, by the competent authorities and also suggest any necessary modification to the law in order to enable the institution achieve its objectives better. In addition, the panel will study the general atmosphere of the institutions over the period in question. In particular, they will comment on the general conduct and comportment of all the personnel of the institution, especially the students, staff and managers, and advise as to whether the correct training is being given and how necessary corrections may be made. This should include the relationship between the institution and the host community over the period in question.
The committee will also examine all the academic programmes, policies and practices as well as the total academic and physical development, performance and direction of the institution and advise as to whether the desired targets have been met and how modifications may be made to achieve maximum academic productivity, excellence and service to the nation.
Others include study in detail the management structure and performance of the institution including fiscal and administrative personnel and welfare policies and advise on ways to cut on costs, reduce waste and continue to develop, if necessary by adaptation, rather than expansion in the face of attenuated resources. Finally, they will advise on any and all other aspects of the institution that they consider should be of interest to both the Visitor and the public, and to the attainment of the objectives for which the institution was set up.
Osuji urged the selected members of the Panels, whom he said, were chosen on merit, integrity, and strength of character and past contributions to the development of the education sector to live up to expectation.
He warned that that the visitation exercise is not a witch hunting forum, neither is it a panorama for mudslinging, nor a jamboree for unnecessary and wasteful expenditure.
"It is not a law court, it is a fact finding exercise. Panelists shall therefore be held fully responsible for their conduct during the exercise. While I expect that all the reports would be handed in on time at the end of this exercise, I enjoin panelists to treat all matters relating to this exercise with utmost confidentiality it deserves until Government issues a white paper on its decision based on the reports of the Panels," he warned.
Responding, Chairman of the Committee, Adamu Yabani a former Executive Secretary of the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) while commending the Federal Government for resuscitating the visitation exercise which he said has been dormant for the past decade, assured on a thorough and timely delivery of the report.
He, however, stressed on the need for the implementation of the report when it is finally submitted. He warned that there have been several panels' reports in the past, which are gathering dust after spending so much money to execute them.
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