Abuja – The Ministry of Education is set to overhaul the infrastructure in the education sector and that government had also resolved to blacklist any student or schools involved in examination malpractice,   Mr Nyesom Wike, Minister of State for Education, has said.

In  Abuja, Nyesom said that the Federal Government had identified various challenges in the sector and had adopted measures aimed at addressing them.

According to the minister, part of the measure is provision of infrastructure in all public schools across the country to cover at least 70 per cent of the schools in four years.

Nyesom decried the rate of examination malpractice among students at various levels, saying both students and teachers had been affected by such development.

He noted that education formed the fulcrum for every nation’s development, hence President Goodluck Jonathan’s resolve to make it a priority in his transformation agenda.

He said the Presidential Task Force on Education inaugurated by the President had been mandated to propose the best arrangement for management, regulation and coordination of education at all levels.

According to him, the task force will also examine all laws militating against the delivery of qualitative education and propose necessary changes.

“It will propose a sustainable funding arrangement and transparent management of resources for education; examine the ethical issues and steps necessary to restore ethics and values at all levels, propose ways necessary for the improvement of teaching and learning environment to create greater access to education that will reposition the education sector,’’ he said.

He explained that  part of the mandate was also to develop programmes and projects that would attract quality hands to the teaching profession, while retaining and motivating existing teachers, among others.

Nyesom disclosed that government had started the construction of schools for the `Almajiris’ in 15 states and girl-child education in 10 states across the country.

He suggested the amendment in the Universal Basic Education Commission Act to accommodate the secondary schools, saying that it could help revive the infrastructure decay observed in Unity Schools.

Nyesom stated  that government had also resolved to blacklist any student or schools involved in examination malpractice. (NAN)