Save education from drifting, Buhari urges stakeholders.

President Muhammadu Buhari has called on all stakeholders to join hands together to salvage the education system from collapsing.
The President who was represented by the Executive Secretary of National Universities Commission, Prof Julius Okojie, stated this at the combined 19th to 22nd convocation ceremony of the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi yesterday.

Of the 8127 graduates, 845 got diplomas, 5577 had first degrees, 1620 were for PGD/Masters and 85 for PhDs.
Out of the 5,577 first degree graduants, 32 obtained first class; 1,203 got second class upper, 2,702 obtained second class lower while 1,481 got third class and 136 obtained pass.
In his keynote address, the President said: “We must join hands to salvage our educational system from drift. It is worrisome that no Nigerian university is quoted among the top 100 universities in the world. We rank below a thousand.”
He added: “If we do not aspire to be among the world class universities, we cannot boost of robust system capable of launching the country among the top economies of the world.
He identified industrial action as one of the major bottle necks to progress of university system in Nigeria, assuring lecturers that the present administration would listen to their grievances
“No doubt, most of the teachers demands are very germane but the repercussion of strike actions usually retard the smooth running of academic activities with heavy negative consequences. Let me assure university teachers that this administration is a listening one. All grievances must come to the table for discussion.
The President expressed the commitment of the present administration to address the decay in education sector and called for continued dialogue and consultations among all stakeholders in the system.
“Our intention to address the decay in our education system is not in doubt, just as our collective resolve as a government and a people must be unwavering. We shall expect you to come to us with meaningful suggestions as to the way forward. It is my belive that exchange of views and ideas will assist in arriving at mutually acceptable solutions to most of our today’s problems in the educational sector,” the president said.
The President therefore called on all state governments to render support and encouragement to universities in their states for the upliftment of the education sector.