President Muhammadu Buhari has said that there is no alternative to restructuring the country’s education sector, declaring that his administration is determined to improve the quality of the country’s educational system to the extent that the country’s resource capacity and capability can allow.

The Nigerian leader spoke yesterday at the 40th Anniversary and 31st Convocation of the University of Ilorin (UNILORIN) in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital in north-central Nigeria.

Buhari, who was represented by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr. Babachir Lawal, pledged that his administration will give attention to technical education and training, provide the manpower in health sciences, engineering, technology and commerce, to operate, maintain, and sustain the nation’s economy activities for rapid socio-economic development.

“Government will continue to create employment and other opportunities for our youths to thrive. Apart from physical discipline, our universities should key in to the evolving ethical revolution, because without discipline, law and order, no society can make any meaningful projects,” he said.

Buhari said that his administration is very much aware that globalisation of the market, interdependence of international systems, expanding roles of technology and high skilled technical, vocational and managerial leaders are the keys drivers of any national economy. He submitted that the nation can only key into this global trend by giving the desired attention to the education sector.

He commended UNILORIN for its academic stability, quality education and infrastructural growth.

The Nigerian leader made it clear that “except our leaders get it right and adopt the right attitude, the task of transforming our country to a prosperous and respectable nation will be a mirage. It cannot be business as usual.” “I, therefore, call on everyone to partner with government to uproot the evils of corruption, graft, economic sabotage, criminality, delinquency and all forms of indiscipline from our society,” he said.

In his address, the Vice Chancellor of UNILORIN, Prof. AbdulGaniyu Ambali, noted that schooling is not the end of learning, advising the graduands not to relent in in making extra-ordinary efforts in order to improve themselves and stand out from the rest.

He told them: “It is your turn to succeed and make the change you want in the world. The 21st century world requires skills and certificates are no longer enough. Therefore, you need to be on your toes and start running and not relent. It doesn’t matter what you are but what you become through effort and prayer ultimately defines you. The implication of running is that you should be the best of whatever you are. You have many lessons to learn from our dear president who ran to achieve integrity and ran to bring the much desired change. Nothing is achieved without stress. I wish you a successful life. It’s your turn to succeed.”

•Photo by Theresa Moses shows President Buhari’s representative, SGF Babachir Lawal, commissioning a project . . . yesterday at UNILORIN.

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