President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Bisi Akande have hailed Independent Newspapers Limited, publishers of Daily Independent, Saturday Independent and Sunday Independent titles, for celebrating 70 years of Universal Basic Education as started in 1955.
Speaking through Aisha Garba, executive secretary of Universal Basic Education, President Tinubu said through Daily Independent awards on Universal Basic Education, Nigerians honoured the bold vision of free education started by the country’s forefathers.
“Tonight, through Daily Independent, we honour that bold vision of free education. Free education has offered as a ladder for families and the touch must not dim,” the President said.
According to him, “It is the duty of every government to renew that vision and knowledge and to know that education is the right of every child.
“Our Renewed Hope Agenda is not a slogan but a vision to make education a national renewal. We honour the foresight of Chief Awolowo, Dr.Nnamdi Azikiwe and Dr. Ahmadu Bello and we declare that this generation will finish what they began.
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“Today education is no longer an aspiration and our charge is to make education a reality and make it transparent for every Nigerian child. If we rescue this generation through education, they will become the drivers of opportunities tomorrow.
“Education is not just a social service, it is a national security and national duty. Our youths are our greatest assets and we cannot standby while our children are out of school. We must guarantee access to learning. Anything less will make the sacrifice of 70 years ago worth nothing.”
Bisi Akande, former governor of Osun State and also former chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), thanked Daily Independent Newspaper for celebrating the 70 years of Universal Basic Education.
In his address during the event, Akande regretted that the military bastardised the education system. He however, congratulated Independent Newspaper Limited for remembering the UBE.
He said; “It’s unfortunate that the progress of UBE has been stutted and bastardised by the military government.”
According to him, “Before the military imposed themselves as the government of Nigeria, most education institutions were diligently managed by regions. The regions developed and managed their educational policies.
“They managed the type of scholarship and free education they desired in their regions. Suddenly these various institutions of learning were forcefully taken over by the military government in 1976.
“They were handed over to new structures without weight experience to manage such, hence the present decay in education infrastructure and teaching methodology.
“I sincerely thank Daily Independent for reminding us that the Universal Basic Education is the best and free education remains the best.”
