Reverse Commercialization of FG’s Unity Schools, Lawmaker Tells Buhari

.Donates uniforms, books to pupils

Olakiitan Victor in Ado Ekiti

Chairman, House of Representatives’ Committee on Youth Development,
Hon Segun Adekola , has called for outright reversal of the hike in tuition fees in all the federal government owned Unity Schools across
the country.

Adekola, a member representing Ekiti South Federal Constituency 1 in
the national Assembly, said the new policy introduced by the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari would further inflict
more injuries on Nigerians, whom he said are already under the hardship of economic recession.

The Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) Chieftain, who praised Governor Ayodele Fayose on the feat recorded by the Ekiti state in 2016
National Examinations Council(NECO), where the state was ranked first, added that the achievement confirmed the restructuring of
education in the state

Speaking in Ise Ekiti, Ise/Orun Local Government area , on Saturday while donating notebooks and uniforms to over 20,000 pupils in 35
primary schools in his constituency, described the federal government’s policy as not only obnoxious, but grossly anti –people.

He said inflating the tuition fee payable at the secondary cadre of education, is capable of derailing the future of many Nigeria’s
future leaders due to paucity of funds and high rising poverty in theland.

Adekola also castigated the immediate past government of Dr Kayode
Fayemi, for allegedly diverting N850 million Universal Basic
Education Board(UBEC) fund belonging to Ekiti, leading to the
stocking of over N4 billion fund that ought to have been released to
boost education.

“This federal government’s policy is anti-people and it must be
reversed immediately . I have prepared a motion which I am going to
sponsor on the floor of the House to ensure that the policy is
reversed.

“The economy is already heated up, because of the economic recession
caused by removal of fuel subsidy , high currency exchange rate and
unemployment, so this is uncalled for considering what Nigerians are
passing through. I expect the federal government to empathize with
Nigerians with what they are going through now”.

Adekola stated that he would continue to help indigent pupils and
youths in his constituency via robust intervention and empowerment
programmes , saying he would soon convoke a National Youth Conference
to address the critical areas affecting their lives, to secure the
future of the nation.

While distributing the materials to the pupils, Adekola said: “When I
was at your level, I was going to school in tattered cloth. My
parents could not afford notebooks for me and this really dampened my
morale and since then I vowed that I will continue to help indigent
pupils any time I have the opportunity.

“These pupils are the foundation of education and the bedrock of the
society, you are very important and when the foundation is destroyed
what will be righteous do. I will continue to help you to achieve
greatness through regular interventions to make you feel good in
schools”, he added.