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The Minister of State for Education, Mr. Nyisom Wike, on Tuesday in Abuja received the Needs Assessment report of Unity Schools nationwide, with a pledge that government would implement its recommendations.
The minister also stated that government had the political will to implement reports of that nature owing to the benefit they would accrue to the education system.
``We have the political will to implement the recommendations of the committee on Needs Assessment of the Federal Government Colleges in the country.
``Beyond this, let me commend the committee members for taking the risk to embark on this assignment, especially those who went to North-East and North-West,'' the minister said, adding that the ministry would in the next two weeks set up another committee to review the report.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that on June 7, the Federal Government inaugurated a 97-man committee to carry out Needs Assessment exercise in all 104 Unity Schools across the country.
The minister also announced that his ministry would regularise the services of some 1,000 qualified teachers who were employed on part-time basis.
``We must do something to show that we are serious; resources will be rationed, we will bring back the lost glory of these schools,’’ he said.
Wike deplored the declining interests of some directors in the ministry and directed the Director of Basic and Secondary Education and chairmen of the various committees to submit the names of absentee committee members.
``Members of the committee and directors in the ministry who failed to attend the assignment will be compelled to explain their action,’’ he said.
Mr. Onunda Okene, Chairman of South-West Zone who spoke on behalf of other zones, recommended that the findings of the committee showed that funds made available for unity schools were inadequate to carry out capital projects.
Okene said the report should be backed with political will to restore the glory of the unity colleges.
