The Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, has called on well-meaning Nigerians to support in the development of the education sector as government alone cannot shoulder the responsibility of funding of the sector.
The minister, represented by the Director of Technology and Science in the ministry, Grace Jakko, made this known in Ado Ekiti on Saturday during the 18th combined convocation ceremony of the Federal Polytechnic, Ado Ekiti, Ekiti State.
The convocation ceremony had 13,677 Higher National Diploma and National Diploma students of 2018/2019, 2019/2020 and 2020/2021 academic sessions graduands in attendance.
At the event, honorary fellowship awards of the polytechnic were conferred on certain dignitaries in attendance, including: the Minister of Works, Babatunde Fashola; the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi; Chief Afe Babalola’s wife, Mrs Modupe Babalola; and two alumni of the institution, Babatunde Fakologbon and Dr Rotimi Ibidapo.
The minister insisted that the promotion and sustenance of science and technology education were key, according to The PUNCH.
He said, “The Federal Government has invested and is still investing heavily in both physical and infrastructural development in the technical education sector in the quest to make quality technical education available to our teeming youths.
“This is borne out of the recognition that quality technology education is the bedrock of any country’s technical and economic development.”
Adamu charged polytechnics to strategise and find ways of enhancing their revenue base to complement government funds as he called on well-meaning individuals “to assist the Federal Polytechnic in sponsoring projects and programmes that would enhance effective teaching and learning.”
During his address, the Rector, Dr Hephzibah Oladebeye, advised the graduands, who he said, “have what it takes to succeed”, to imbibe hard work to better their future.
Oladebeye charged them to “try as much as possible to continue to develop your individual competencies in this ever-changing world especially by leveraging on the advancement in technology to upgrade yourself in your chosen careers.”
