Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello has promised that the Subsequent budgetary allocation for the Education Sector in the state currently pegged at 20% would not be lesser than 30% in 2022 to facilitate a more robust advancement in the sector
He also added that his government’s concentration would not only be on infrastructural growth in the sector but a prioritized focus on the welfare of teachers in a bid to give leverage to public schools over its private counterpart in the state
The Governor made this known at the grand finale of the Pharmacist Abdulkareem Asuku Youth Empowerment Foundation (PAAYEF) Inter-school quiz and debate competition held at the glasshouse of the government house in Lokoja.
He added that government would ensure that it was illegal for any student in the state to be out of school while his administration would strive to ensure that Kogi State emerged first in the next WAEC performance ratings through his administration’s deliberate investment in the sector
Governor Bello alluded that the state was making remarkable efforts to ensure a safe and secured Kogi state as no child would be abducted by any criminal elements under his watch and that it was only when the state was safe and secured that students could go to school
He expressed concern that although the current education system in the country was dysfunctional Kogi State incorporated Technical and specialized education in its system like Korea institute in the State Polytechnic and the newly established Confluence University of Science and Technology, Osara
Governor Bello used the medium to challenge other appointees and well-meaning individuals in the state to invest in human capital development particularly endeavours that would add meaningful value and have an impact on younger generations
In his remarks the Visionary of the PAAYEF and Chief of Staff to the Kogi State Governor, Pharm. Abdulkareem Jamiu noted that PAAYEF was fully sponsored by the governor because he gave the platform and the encouragement for him and many others to engage in humanitarian ventures
He noted that the performances of various public schools in the Spelling bee competition and the written essay indicated that the public schools in the state have so much tendency to perform excellently and were already showing the huge investment of Gov. Bello led administration
The Chief of Staff expressed continued commitment to contributing his quota to the lives of youths and young ones in the society
Winners from the written competition, spelling bees and the debate were rewarded with scholarships, school items and cash donations.
Ester Itopa from Harmony Secondary School emerged winner of the Spelling Bee competition while Tijani Sadiq from demonstration Standard College, Musa Alhassan Abdullahi from Government Secondary School, Okenya, Sanni Abdulazeez from Ebira Community Secondary School, Ogaminana, Aboh David Ojochegbe from St Peter’s College, Idah and Seidu Adavuruku from Ebira Community Secondary School, Ogaminana led the written competition respectively. In the Debate competition, St Augustin Secondary School from Kogi west emerged the winner over Ebira Community Secondary School, Ogaminana from Kogi Central.
