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*Says Parallel Leadership Involving PTAs Will No Longer Be Allowed
The Honourable Minister of Education, Dr Maruf Tunji Alausa, on Wednesday handed down strong warning that any principal who admits students more than the capacity of any Unity School in the country will be removed from the position.
According to him, over-crowding any school facility in the country is dangerous to the lives of students and teachers alike.
Dr Alausa spoke in Abuja in the company of the Minister of State for Education, Dr. Suwaiba Said Ahmad, and Permanent Secretary, Mr. Abel Olumuyiwa Enitan, during meeting with Principals of Unity Schools.
He said "If you admit students beyond the capacity of the school, you will not be Principal the next day.
"Over crowding is dangerous. We cannot subject the life of any child to danger. I am not ready to lose my job for anybody's carelessness. The President is changing many things in the education sector for the better.
In order not to compromise the schools capacity, the Minister said himself and the leadership of the Ministry will not ask for any admission slot.
To this end, he said if anybody comes to the school to mention his name, such slot should not be given as he would not ask for any Minister's admission slot.
Noting that the Federal Government is reinventing the education sector back to what it was before, he said the Unity Schools were set up to be a unifying centre for the country.
He also warned that parallel leaderships in schools involving Parents Teachers Association (PTAs) on one side will no longer be allowed.
Dr. Alausa said that no any Federal Science and Technical College (FSTC) will be recognized going forward, saying that they are not rely concentrating on the technical aspect as was envisaged.
He said they will now be replaced with Federal Technical College (FTC) in order to concentrate on pure technical education.
Stressing that a lot of leaders went to technical schools, he situation today has changed from what it was twenty years ago.
"From September, we will only have Federal Technical Colleges." he stated
He said that he will not put the blames on the Principals as they might not have received the expected support in the past.
He said that the Ministry today has the strongest leadership and all the directors have never worked as hard as they are doing now.
The Minister asked the Principals to be rest assured that they will have all the support they need under the current dispensation
The Minister noted that the the expectation of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is for Nigerian students to get the best quality education just like their contemporaries across the globe.
This, he said, has informed the President's support to the education sector, which he said should be reciprocated by the stakeholders.
He urged the Principals to be diligent, stressing that if they don't get it right, it will not be well for the society.
On her part, the Minister of State for Education, Dr. Suwaiba Said Ahmad, told the Principals that the government can no longer accept things the way they are.
She noted that the principal will get their rewards here and hereafter if they shape their students well to better their future as they will get rewards from God and humanity.
According to her, the teaching profession has lost its glory because the primary assignment of training the next generation has been neglected.
"So be vigilant, dedicated and effective managers of resources," she stated.
While noting that Federal Unity Colleges are grappling with many challenges, she urged the Principals to explore other alternatives to fund the schools apart from budgetary provisions.
She urged them to embrace public, private partnerships, engage old students alumni, take opportunities of Corporate social responsibility initiatives, community and character contribution, grants and donor funding and they should be proactive and transparent.
While commending them for contributions to nation building, she said "The task before us is enormous but not insurmontable"
The Permanent Secretary, Mr. Abel Olumuyiwa Enitannoted that the Minister and the Minister of State are committed to developing the education sector in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu.
Stressing that the dialogue is timely and essential to share ideas and rub minds that can drive progress in unity schools.
The Permanent Secretary charged them to give inputs for new approaches and strategies that can take the schools to new levels of excellence.
"So that it can provide sane and conducive environment for our future leaders. We need you to nurture them to stardom." he stated.