President Buhari To Increase Education Budget By 50 Percent

President Muhammadu Buhari has pledged to increase the budget for the education sector by as much as 50 percent over the next two years, according to a statement by his spokesman, Femi Adesina on Wednesday.

Adesina quoted from a document titled, Heads Of State Call To Action On Education Financing Ahead Of The Global Education Summit, signed as a form of commitment at the ongoing Summit in London, United Kingdom.

“We commit to progressively increase our annual domestic education expenditure by 50 percent over the next two years and up to 100 percent by 2025 beyond the 20 percent global benchmark,” Adesina quoted the president as saying.

The president said; “We fully endorse the call for more efficient use of resources and to significantly increase investment in education by strengthening institutions, promoting greater adoption of technology, building the capacities of our teachers and mobilizing additional financial resources through legal frameworks and deliberate intervention on a sustainable basis.

“Let us, therefore, raise our hands in solidarity to build a more secure and prosperous future for our children.”

The Summit which is being co-hosted by the Prime Minister of UK Boris Johnson and the President of Kenya Uhuru Kenyatta seeks to give opportunities for leaders to make 5-year pledges to support GPE’s work to help transform education systems in up to 90 countries and territories.

President Buhari left Nigeria on Tuesday to attend the summit and also meet with the Prime Minister of Britain, Johnson and thereafter meet with his doctor for a medical check-up, according to his spokesman.