27th February - National Universities Commission

HME Expresses Readiness of FGN to Partner Statesin Education DevelopmentThe Honourable Minister of Education (HME), Professor Ruqayyatu Ahmed Rufa’i,OON, has expressed the readiness of the Federal Government to partner with States aswell as provide the necessary framework for the improvement of the Education sector.She stated this during a courtesy visit by a delegation led by the Katsina State Commissionerfor Education, Professor Aminu Kurfi.While commending the Katsina State Government for placing Education first on itsdevelopment agenda as demonstrated in the allocation of about 23% of the State Budget tothe sector, Professor Rufa’i noted that the consistent priority attention of the StateGovernment to Education since 2007 had helped to address the challenges in the sector. Sheparticularly expressed satisfaction with the level of achievements recorded in Girl-Childenrolment and retention in schools due to the various measures introduced and the highquality infrastructure provided which are now serving as models to other States. Shehowever urged the State Government to match the achievements so recorded in access toeducation with quality assurancethrough training and retraining oftheir teachers.Prof. Rufa’i receiving the documents from Prof. KurfiGrant which are disbursed every year.Professor Rufa’i assured KatsinaState of partnership, stressing that theFederal Ministry of Education alonecould not achieve the mandate oftransforming the Education sectorwithout active collaboration with theStates. She stressed that all possiblesupport would be extended to Stateseven as she advised the StateUniversal Basic Education Board(SUBEB) to come up with its annualwork plan and the matching grantwith a view to accessing theUniversal Basic EducationCommission (UBEC) EducationOn the request for the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) intervention for the newFaculty of Medicine at the Umaru Musa Yar’Adua University, Katsina, the Minister referredthe issue to the Executive Secretary, TETFund, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, who advisedthe delegation to come up with the specific aspect of the project for which the interventionwas required. According to him, the University was already on the list of Universitiesenjoying the Fund’s intervention in the last five years.Earlier, Professor Kurfi, who was accompanied by the Special Adviser to the Katsina StateGovernor on Higher Education, Honourable Shehu Garba Matazu, the Special Adviser onPage2