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The president of
the Senate, David Mark, has criticised the poor educational standard in
the country, which has led to a very low global rating for the nation’s
universities.

The Senate
president expressed his concerns over the standard of the nation’s
universities over the weekend while addressing the audience at the 16th
and 17th convocation ceremony of the University of Agriculture,
Makurdi, in Benue State, where he was conferred with an honorary Doctor
of Science (D.SC).

Mr. Mark said
that education remains the bedrock of development in any nation. He
added that every responsible organisation and government must put
education first, if development must begin to take place in the nation.

He, therefore,
challenged the authorities of the universities to step up and bridge
this gap so that Nigerian graduates could be accorded the same respect
and status anywhere in the world.

“I am glad that
the executive secretary of the National University Commission (NUC),
Professor Julius Okogie, is here,” he said.

“We must do
something urgent to upgrade our universities, otherwise, we cannot
compete in this global environment of today,” he added.

On their part,
the Senate president said that the National Assembly will continue to
“lay a solid framework through effective legislation that would
facilitate and improve our education at all levels.”

He added that the
National Assembly will do its best to ensure that Nigerian universities
and other institutions of higher learning get their fair share of
funding needed to meet their needs.

President
Goodluck Jonathan, who was represented by the Agriculture Minister,
Sheik Ahmed Abdullahi, also promised to give education its pride of
place in his administration.

However, neither
the president, nor the Senate president made any obligating statement
with regards to what percentage of the 2011 budget will be allocated to
education sector or whether the government will increase funding to the
sector.

Increase food research

The Senate
president also expressed worries that little or no attention is being
paid by authorities and research institutions on food security in the
country.

He states that
food security – or insecurity – poses a major challenge like other
crimes that are being aggressively tackled by the federal government.
He challenged the institution to dwell more on research and
development, especially on food security.

“With enough
arable land, abundant human and natural resources, as well as
specialised institutions like this, there is no justifiable reason why
we cannot guarantee food security across the length and breadth of
Nigeria,” Mr. Mark stressed.

Nasamu Dakingari, governor of Kebbi State, and Pascal Dozie,
chairman, MTN Nigeria, were also awarded Doctor of Science (D.SC)
honoris causa by the university at the ceremony.