NANS presidential debate: Alopay seeks proper funding for education sector; urges adherence to 26% funding advocated by UNESCO

 

Comrade Alabi Kayode - Alopay.

By Ikechukwu Chukwudi

The case has been made for member nations of the United Nations to properly fund education by adhering strictly to the 26 per cent UNESCO advocated percentage for educational funding in their budgets.

 

Frontline contender for the office of the President, National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) Comrade Alabi Kayode aka 'Alopay', made the submission at the NANS presidential debate at which he emphasized the need to give and ensure proper funding to the Nigerian educational sector by governments at all levels.

Alopay, a Masters Degree student of the Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA) spoke at the debate organized by the Nigerian Students Debate Group (NISDG) at the ongoing elective convention on Wednesday December 2, 2020.

While responding to posers from the moderating panel on the question of overhauling the educational system, Alopay stated that the issue was not really about overhauling the system, but ensuring that the specified percentage advocated for funding education was given.

 

Alopay said: "For me, it is not really about overhauling the system so to say, it's more about we playing by the rules regarding the financing of education in Nigeria.

“The system is not the best and it is obvious, however I believe that our advocacy should start from ensuring that the 26 per cent UNESCO advocated percentage for educational funding in the budget of it's member nations is adhered to.

“Education is underfunded and if we will be sincere with ourselves, this constitutes a big problem as it translates to poor manpower, equipments and facilities which are essential to the development of education across the country."

 

On the autonomy of Student Union Governments and victimization of union officials, Alopay averred that "it begins with everyone union member and official holding themselves first to a strong sense of responsibility and integrity so that issues bordering on misappropriation of funds meant for students and their welfare are not used to blackmail them.

 

This is one area where different management of tertiary institutions have held the Union officials to ransom in the struggle. However, we must ensure that instances of this becomes a thing of the past by the present Union leaders in the country as well as stakeholders holding ourselves to a high moral responsibility and decency. He who comes to equity must come with clean hands."

 

The one-time SUG PRO of LAUTECH, Ogbomosho concluded his submission by calling for peaceful processes in the student’s movement similar to the one being witnessed so far at the Convention. "If we can continually see peaceful engagements in student related activities especially in NANS, we will definitely have more people being a part of it actively. In truth, the feminine folks will more readily engage with their contemporaries of either gender and participate more actively in student’s unionism."