Free Education: Gov Kefas seeks buy in of tertiary heads

As schools reopen, Taraba state Governor, Dr Agbu Kefas, has reassured heads of tertiary institutions in the state that funding will not be a headache anymore. Seeking their cooperation, he reiterated his commitment to devote a large sum of funds from the loans in the education sector. He announced that outstanding salaries of the tertiary institutions shall be given due attention. He immediately approved payments outstanding salaries of the state university. He revealed that the loans will be directly tied to the projects for transparency and accountability.

Kefas said these in an expanded meeting with heads of the tertiary institutions Monday in Jalingo. In attendance are the Vice Chancellor of the Taraba State University, Rector of the College of Education, Zing, College of Agriculture, College of Nursing and Midwifery and College of Health and Technology, Takum. Also present was the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education.

The governor assured the school heads that he would be regularly available to attend to their needs. He promised that the meeting with school heads shall be on a sustained basis.

He noted further that education is at the base of all the development he plans for the state. According to him, youth restiveness and inner city crimes can be tied to the rot in the education sector.

Speaking on the huge budget needed to revamp education, the governor said his administration is thinking outside the box to raise more funds. He said the government is targeting agriculture and solid minerals as a way of increasing the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) to augment Federal Government funds.

Kefas said the meeting has become critical as schools are about to reopen. He stressed that he needs the tertiary heads supports and buy in to make the free education policy feasible.

On energy crisis in schools he said solar energy and other sources of power would be explored to meet that need.

In their comments, the heads of schools promised to cooperate with the governor in his resolve to provide affordable education.

Emmanuel Bello

Special Adviser

Media and Digital Communications.