Governor Agbu Kefas has said the 2024 budget for Taraba state is mainly designed to actualize the free education thrust of his administration. He stressed that education is a major priority, along side securing the state for citizens and investors alike. He said the budget put this best with the kind of huge allocation the education sector got.
Kefas who spoke through the Special Adviser on Media and Digital Communications, Emmanuel Bello, said education is the answer to many of the ills the state has been experiencing. He stressed that with better learning inner city crimes would be reduced and the necessary man power will be developed. He said the economic hardship currently being experienced may force parents to pull out their wards from schools with the devastating consequences on communities.
Kefas said the main reason for the surge in crimes among young is idleness and lack of proper education. He bemoaned the high rate of out of school children and sais only the free education strategy can solve the problem. He stressed that a well trained person is best suited for employment, noting that many youths were unemployable as a result of lack of sound education.
It would be recalled that Governor kefas recently declared that education in the state would be free and compulsory.
This declaration was effectively followed up with various interface with stakeholders in the education sectors from parents to school management. Eventually, both primary and secondary education was made free while the government also slashed the tuition fees of tertiary institutions in the state by half.
On how the rather capital intensive policy would be funded, the governor allayed fears, stressing that government will think outside the box to find ways of paying for free education. He said with the will and zest to provide free education, the policy will attract patronage and sponsorship. He also said prudent spending of state resources will help in sourcing funds for the policy.
The 2024 budget has already made viable contributions to free education especially for training of teachers, new classrooms and effective teaching aides.
The benefits of the policy, the governor reiterated, would be felt by generations to come as free education would be a liberating tool to many families.
January, he further noted would be a watershed moment for the policy as schools would resume with free uniforms and textbooks. Already, vigorous plans are underway to provide for remodeled classrooms across the state, well equipped with technology driven learning aides.
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