Senate President Bukola Saraki has urged religious groups to continue to support government in providing sound education for the youths in Nigeria, adding that religious groups pioneered the funding, establishment and nurturing of educational institutions from pre-colonial periods.

Saraki, who spoke in Ilorin on Saturday, during the 75th Anniversary of the Ansarul Islam Society of Nigeria where he was turbaned as the Baba Adinni of the Society, said it has become obvious that government alone cannot run the vital sector successfully and that the deep involvement of religious groups is necessary.

He said: “Religious groups like Ansarul Islam have critical role to play in revamping the education sector. In fact, you have more experience that government at all levels in the operation of educational establishments and you need to intensify your involvement in this all-important sector.

“All is not well with our education sector. Most of the problems we have now in the running of the private and public sectors can be traced to the decay in the education of our children. There is the talk of disconnect between the classrooms and the industries. We also see that our public schools which produced graduates that could compete with their colleagues across the world are no longer being reckoned with in world rating. We spend so much on education of Nigerian youths in foreign schools. Our religious societies should come to the aid of government.”

Saraki said the Senate will review laws relating to the education sector and ensure that they are made to measure up to world standard while adding that the plan by the legislature to enact laws that will make the private sector get involved in funding of infrastructure so as to free funds for important social services like education.

The Senate President while acknowledging that schools under Ansarul Islam have produced many scholars advised that the society should continue to ensure that Muslim clerics preach peace, unity, tolerance and spread the gospel of development.

Saraki further promised that he would do all within his powers to ensure that the proposed Kamalud-deen University which is one of the cherished legacies of the renowned founder of the society, Sheikh Habeebulahi Al-Adabiy, gets the license for operation by the National University Commission (NUC).

Also turbaned at the ceremony witnessed by dignitaries including Emir of Ilorin, Alhaji Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari, was the former Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Alhaja Sinatu Aderoju Ojikutu who became the Iya Adinni of the society.

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