By TONY NYONG

UYO— The Senate is to initiate legislative educational policies that would ensure total revamp of the sector in the country.

Senate President, David Mark, disclosed this in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, during the first conference of National and State Assembly Committees on Education, organized by the Senate Committee on Education.

Mark, who was represented by the Senate Minority leader, Senator Ganiyu Solomon, said it was imperative that particular attention be paid to the country’s education sector which, according to him, is in serious need of transformation.

He said:  “The incessant industrial action by the Academic Staff Union of Nigerian universities, ASUU, has had huge impact on the country’s education system and there is need, therefore, for the Senate to initiate legislative solutions to the problem.

“Issues of educational development have been priority of government and the situation has called for comprehensive and sustainable policies that will deliver good standards, decent environment and  cost effectiveness.

”The nation should evolve a policy of keeping all children on school to minimise most of the societal problems such as militancy, terrorism, insurgency, prostitution and ignorance plaguing the country.”

He, however, called on the federal government and ASUU to urgently come to an agreement to call off the 84 days’ old strike.

Also speaking, the Chairman, Senate Committee on Education, Senator Uche Chuwkumerije, noted that poor funding and inconsistent policies had been identified as the two major challenges facing  Nigeria’s education sector.

According to him, the educational values of the nation degenerated in the 19th century, affecting the entire school system.

Chuwkumerije noted that over 10 million children of school age dropped  out of school, while Nigerian students emigrated to educational institutions in various countries.

Also, Minister of Education, Nyesom Wike, identified the two strategic goals of Nigerian education as access and quality.

He noted that the focus on girl child education in Northern Nigeria and boy child education in the South-East were the key policy initiatives aimed at encouraging enrollment in Nigeria’s basic education system.

He said: “Over 7,000 lecturers from universities, polytechnics and Colleges of Education have, therefore, been sponsored for training in Nigeria and overseas. The first beneficiaries of the Presidential Scholarship on Innovation and Development have also started their studies.”