ActionAid makes case for increased allocation for education sector

ActionAid Nigeria has called on the federal government to revise and increase the allocation to the education sector in order to raise its standard.

The non-governmental organisation stated this Tuesday in a statement during the 2021 International World Education Day, made available to newsmen in Lokoja.

Actionaid Nigeria said the present allocation by the federal government is grossly inadequate to rejig the education sector that is already facing comatose, appealing that it should be jacked up to 15 or 20 percent.

The statement said, “ActionAid Nigeria joins the world to commemorate the 2021 International Education Day. ActionAid Nigeria and other campaigners view education as a human right as enshrined in Article 26 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

“The declaration calls for free and compulsory elementary education. Nigeria is a signatory to several international treaties, including the Convention on the Right of the Child and the Global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) which stipulates that countries shall make education accessible to all.

“As a developing nation, education is a vital tool for transformational change and is critical for sustainable development.  In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic that led to a global disruption of learning, this has affected the lives of many children due to the closure of schools, universities, and other institutions of learning in year 2020.

“Other factors such as insecurity challenges, socio-economic factors, infrastructural deficit have continued to affect education in the country.”