Rector Identifies Bane Of Education

[Defender]

Accumulated neglect by past governments has been identified as the major problem confronting educational institutions in Nigeria.

This was the submission of Engr Michael Ayo Fashakin Esho, Rector of Osun State College of Technology, Esa-Oke, Osun State, when he was robbing minds with OSUN DEFENDER in Osogbo few days ago.

Esho noted that the beginning of the neglect was traceable to the first tenure of President Olusegun Obasanjo as the Head of State when he reduced subvention for high a institutions of learning in this country.

The rector observed that it was the drastic reduction of the subvention for the high institutions that led to the stopping of sending lecturers abroad for post-graduate studies, adding that Esho this development subsequently facilitated massive production of Higher National Diploma graduates who were not adequately skilled.

His words: "President Obasanjo's first coming was the period when obsolete equipment could not be replaced in the higher institutions of learning which dragged on for several years.

"The United Nations said 20 per cent of the budget should be dedicated to all facets of education but up till today, it has not been addressed in Nigeria. The problem we have with tertiary education today is that of accumulated neglect which had its origin in President Obasanjo's regime as Head of State.

"All efforts by Obasajo to correct the problem towards the tail end of his administration by setting up SUBEB and ETC are now beginning to yield results.

"Osun State Government has shown its commitment to education with the Education Summit and should promptly back it up with actions".

Esho hinted that cultism and its attendant problems have been controlled in the institution by so many tactical methods.

He said: "I give glory to God. Curtailing cultism requires the Grace of God, determination and focus. In practical terms, what we did was to work very closely with all the security agencies in the state. We made sure that cultism did not penetrate the students' union government.

"We also had the co-operation and support of the local indigenes of Esa-Oke where the institution is located particularly, the Vigilance Group, the Oodua Peoples Congress, and the Kabiyesi.

"Continuous ideological reorientation and reduction of students' population to a manageable level have worked wonders."

The rector disclosed that the main challenge facing his institution was to ensure that the achieved success was made the tradition of the institution in the interest of posterity.

Osun Defender