The Minister of Education, Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau, yesterday tasked the incoming administration of President- elect, Gen. Mohammadu Buhari, to build on the current achievements of President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration in the nation’s education sector.

Shekarau made the call in Abuja while addressing stakeholders at the launch of the 2014 Annual Report of the Ministry; results of the four-year Strategic Plan for the Development of the Education Sector 2011-2015; and the launch of a new four-year Strategic Plan for the Development of the Education Sector 2015-2019.

He said President Jonathan had made giant strides in transforming the nation’s educational system, guaranteeing equity, access and quality. Tasking Buhari, the minister said: “Let me say that a solid foundation has been laid in the education sector over the past four years. What is required is for this foundation to be built on.

States should be encouraged because of their responsibilities to basic education to continue to be more innovative in their approach including ensuring timely access to their intervention funds which will go a long way in meeting their education delivery needs.

“The good work done in expanding school-based management committees should be built on so that communities will have greater participation in the sector; and therefore achieve greater success,” he added.

He listed the following as some of the achievements of the out-going government: establishment of 12 new federal universities; equitable distribution of higher institution of learning in each state of the federation; and encouragement of private-sector participation in the provision of quality education.

The minister said that 20 new private universities had been licensed in the past four years by the Jonathan’s government, bringing the number of private universities in the country to 61.

He added that in a bid to promote technical education in the country, four new federal polytechnics were established, with rehabilitation of 51 existing polytechnics at a total sum of N15 billion by the Jonathan’s government

*Adapted from Saturday Mirror. Photo shows Shekarau