I am impressed by the performance of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board(JAMB) in the discharge of its core mandate and its catalogue of unprecedented achievements, the Hon. Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu, has commended the Management of the Board for its excellent track records in service delivery. The Minister gave this assessment at the just concluded 66th National Council on Education (NEC) meeting in Abuja.
“You will agree with me that JAMB has brought a welcome sense of relief to candidates and the general public alike with its remarkable achievements in recent times especially in terms of inclusiveness in its operational processes, sanitising the conduct of its examinations, implementation of the Central Admissions Processing System (CAPS), the Integrated Brochure and Syllabus System (IBASS) and the National A ‘Level Databank, among others,” he said.
In what amounted to an assessment of his stewardship and charting a future course of action for the Education Ministry, Malam Adamu called for the splitting of the Federal Ministry of Education into two: Federal Ministry of Basic Education and Federal Ministry of Higher Education respectively. He also submitted that a special arrangement to promote vocational, e n t r e p r e n e u r i a l a n d t e c h n i c a l
education to effectively address the challenges facing the Nigerian youths
should be fashioned out. Speaking further, Malam Adamu said, “I have made recommendations to the President that there should be two Ministries of Education, Ministry of Basic Education and Ministry of Higher Education, and if that is not feasible, then, at least two Ministers of State one for Basic Education, and the other for Higher Education.”
“I also hope whoever is heading the next government will have the good sense to create the Ministry of Skills and Entrepreneurship and if such will not be possible, there should be three Ministers of State in the Federal Ministry of Education.” On security and safety in educational institutions, the Minister charged NEC and other critical stakeholders to redouble its efforts at strengthening the security architecture of the nation’s educational institutions. “Also, I want to tell State Governments that they are not doing enough on school safety. I know it is a general problem but State Governments should start doing what the Federal Ministry of Education is doing,” he said.
Commenting on the issue of out-of school children, Mallam Adamu called on all States of the Federation to be alive to their responsibilities by providing a safe and secure learning environment for both students and teachers. He stated that, on its part, the Federal Ministry of Education is not relenting in its efforts to take these
children off the streets.