By Abubakar Yunusa
A socio-cultural organization in Kogi state, Kogi Collectives (KC), has urged Governor Usman Ododo to improve and sustain the immediate past Governor Alhaji Yahaya Bello’s transformation legacy in education within the state.
The group noted that the establishment of two new universities, in addition to the Prince Abubakar Audu University in Ayingba, gave the three senatorial districts a sense of belonging, as prospective university students now access admission with ease.
The group, led by Chief Philip Olusesan Orebiyi and Mr. Segun Arogboni, spoke after their meeting in Lokoja, the state capital, over the weekend.
According to them, the two new universities are the Confluence University of Science and Technology, Osara, for Kogi Central, and Kogi State University, Kabba, for Kogi West, as well as the Prince Abubakar Audu University, Anyigba, for Kogi East.
They added that, to the credit of Yahaya Bello, he equipped and facilitated the accreditation of the College of Medicine at Prince Audu University, Anyigba.
The statement explained that the new universities were established by Bello within four years, and he also gave facelifts and improvements to Kogi State Polytechnic, Lokoja, College of Education, Ankpa, as well as the College of Education (Technical), Mopa.
It said, “On September 21, 2023, Yahaya Bello took a visionary and audacious step by declaring free education from primary to secondary school levels in public schools in the state.”
“The administration of Yahaya Bello has transformed the education landscape from one marked by neglect and decay to one filled with hope, improved access, equity, infrastructure development, and enhanced service delivery.”
“One of Bello’s groundbreaking achievements in the education sector was the allocation of 30 percent of the state budget to education in each fiscal year since 2021. This allocation exceeded UNESCO’s recommended benchmark of 26 percent, thus underscoring his unparalleled commitment to education in the state.”
Bello, they opined, has reversed the trend of out-of-school children in the state, which stood at 554,943 between 2014 and 2015, to 86,803, thus ranking the state with the lowest number of out-of-school children in Nigeria as of 2019.
For the effective implementation of his renewed education policy, Bello made it a cardinal project to train and retrain teachers across all schools in the state.
“We, therefore, urge Governor Usman Ododo to improve and sustain Bello’s transformation legacy in education in the state.”
