By Favour Nnabugwu

The Minister of State for Education, Barr Nyesom Wike has directed principals of Unity schools across the country to prioritize their projects ahead of the funds that would be made available to the colleges in the 2013 budget.

The Minister while addressing unity college principals at a meeting with managers of Unity colleges and some higher institutions on 2013 budget in Abuja on Tuesday told them that the federal government would continue to uplifts unity schools in the country though in phases.

He also stated that the government was working on best ways to give all the Federal Technical Colleges a face-lift in the 2013 budget in line with government determination to promote technical and vocational education.

Wike further challenged the principals to direct funds available to them on only projects and programmes that would enhance academic achievement of the students, noting that it is by so doing that they can justify their positions in the schools.

He said, “Federal Government has invested much in the Basic Education sub-sector through its intervention strategies with a view to improve the system as state governments and other stakeholders in the sub-sector are enjoined to join hand with the Federal Government’s drive to reposition the Basic education system”.

Though he stated basic education was not directly under the responsibility of the Federal Government explaining that the intervention initiatives were to assist the states to put the system on the right track, noting that poor quality at the basic level has direct impact on tertiary education.

Wike said that the processes were on to absorb qualified part-time teachers in the schools with about 1000 teachers in core subjects – Mathematics, English Language and Science –related subjects for employment.